


July OTP Fluff Challenge 2017

by blueelvewithwings



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Anniversary, Cuddling, F/M, Fluff, Getting Back Together, Hurt/Comfort, Kid!Fic, M/M, Making Up, Marriage Proposal, Modern AU, Movie Night, PTSD, Warden AU, specific warnings at the beginning of each chapter where it applies, tags will be updated as I go
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-01
Updated: 2017-09-15
Packaged: 2018-11-22 01:45:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 32
Words: 23,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11369985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blueelvewithwings/pseuds/blueelvewithwings
Summary: A collection of 32 fluffy drabbles for some of my favourite Dragon Age pairings.





	1. Carver/Anders

**Author's Note:**

> Each day in July, I will post a drabble, each will have a different ship and a different prompt in it, I hope you enjoy~

„It‘s 2 am but you‘re craving cake and we‘re both up anyway, so let‘s bake in our underwear.“

Carver opened the door and stepped inside, frowning at the smell that was meeting him. It definitely smelled like… chocolate cake? He closed the door and dropped his bag before going to the kitchen. And indeed, there was Anders, in his underwear, with headphones on and mouthing to whatever song he was listening to just then, using his wooden spoon as a microphone. A quick check of the kitchen told Carver that what it smelled like were chocolate cookies, not cake, but what was in the bowl in front of his boyfriend looked suspiciously like chocolate cake batter.  
He grinned and took off his shirt and shoes, then silently made his way over to Anders, approaching from behind. He was grateful for the headphones, Anders always got so invested in his stupid pop songs that he didn‘t notice anything going on around him. So he managed to sneak up to him unnoticed, and elicited the most delicious squeak as he slid his arms around his boyfriend, followed by the clattering of the spoon on the kitchen floor.  
„Hello, lovely“ He whispered into Anders‘ ear after pulling out one of the earbuds. „What are you still doing up at this time?“  
Anders turned in his arms before returning, lightly smacking him in the chest with a pout. „Don‘t you scare me like that! I thought it was Sebastian, coming to drag me off to church for making too many innuendos towards him today!“  
Carver just chuckled and pulled Anders closer to him to claim a welcome home kiss. „Let me assure that I‘m not Sebastian then. I‘m just your boyfriend who‘s been kept much too late by my stupid brother. Seriously, I told him I wanted to go home at ten the latest, and he still kept talking and boasting about whatever adventures he‘s been on and tried to get me drunk...“ He sighed a little and checked the clock for the first time.  
„So… what are you doing here in your underwear… at two am, baking cake?“  
Anders shrugged a little, but Carver did notice the little blush on his cheeks. „I just… felt like cake“ he murmured, squirming a little as Carver took his face in his large, calloused hands and stared at him intensely until the blond man relented.  
„It‘s your favourite cake… it reminds me of you. I missed you, I wanted to make something nice for when you get back. There. Happy?“  
„Very happy. I happen to have the best boyfriend, that makes me very happy“ Carver smiled and kissed him again. Then he released the other and stepped back, quickly stripping until he stood in the kitchen only in his once-white boxer briefs, then opened a drawer to pull out a cake tin.  
„So… we‘re both home and both awake, so let‘s bake a cake? And then we can eat it for breakfast tomorrow. Just because we can.“


	2. Anders/Krem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> „Can you help me up, your child is pretty heavy.“

Anders laughed as he walked over to Krem who was reclined on the bed with their sleeping one year old on his chest. He bent down to pick up the little girl before helping his boyfriend stand as well. „She‘s your child too, you know.“ He smiled down at their little sunshine and kissed her nose, careful not to wake her up.

Krem made a doubtful face beside him and shook his head, but apparently couldn‘t help himself from breaking into a huge grin anyway. „She has a red curly mop, is about as pale as Cole and has a sea of freckles. The nose and the freckles are from you, and the rest… Lord knows who you went sleeping around with.“

Had Anders not held their precious darling he‘d have tackled Krem right there, kissed and tickled him until he apologized. Like this he had to resort to puppy eyes, but those always worked on Krem as well. He came over and pulled Anders into a gentle kiss before moving to stroke their daughter‘s hair.

„Bull says one of the barmaids was pregnant a year ago… red curls, pale freckles, everything fits. He asked her but she claimed to not know anything...“

Anders walked over and gently placed the girl in her crib before going back to Krem and embracing him tightly. „Love… I know you keep thinking that she shouldn‘t be here, but she was left right here, you know? On our doorstep, here in Skyhold. It must have been someone who knew that we wanted children badly but couldn‘t have any without help. She is our daughter now, Krem. We‘ve become fathers to this wonderful girl. Even if she looks different, and even if it‘s clear that she‘s not biologically ours. Even if the mother was that barmaid, she will have a reason for giving her up, and she made sure to give her into our care.“

Krem leaned against him, his eyes closed as he nuzzled into Anders‘ chest. „I know. I know she‘s the greatest gift we‘ve ever been given. I just keep thinking she shouldn‘t be ours, she should be with her real family, and not with us, because we‘re weird and we‘re two men and because I can bear children unlike real men and--“

„Hey.“ Anders took his boyfriend‘s face and made him look at him. „Stop that. We are her real family. We will raise her and love her and be proud of her and teach her walking and talking and that no matter what her parents will be there for her. And you are a real man, Krem. And just because you‘re technically able to bear children doesn‘t mean you should. I know it would drive you near insane and that you couldn‘t handle it, and your health and well being is more important to me than having a child that looks like us. Emilia is just as much our child as she would be if she had brown hair and my eyes and looked like a tiny hybrid of us both.“

Krem looked up at him and sniffed a little before pulling away and turning his face to the side, trying to hide his teary eyes. But then he nodded and looked over at their little girl. „You‘re right, as always. She‘s our little girl now, isn‘t she? And she‘s here to stay?“

„Yes, love“ Anders smiled and drew him into a hug again. „She‘s here to stay.“


	3. Bull/Dorian/Cullen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> „We‘ve been celebrating our wedding anniversary on the wrong day for the past nine years.“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for this being a day late, I started my internship yesterday and was just absolutely beat. But that means two drabbles today for you~

„You know...“ Cullen was standing in front of their bed in just his underwear, scratching the back of his neck like he always did when he was feeling a little nervous. Dorian cocked his head at him even as he scooted back closer to Bull to burrow more into the qunari‘s warmth.

„We know what, amatus?“

Cullen sighed a little and sat down, still looking a bit fidgety. „So Varric wanted to do this big party, right? Because we‘ll be married for ten years soon? So he started asking me questions, how we worked it out that all of us are together and who proposed and stuff. And then he wanted to see our papers and I showed him and...“ He flushed a little, looking away. „We…. we‘ve been celebrating our anniversary two days late for the past nine years.“

There was a total silence that lasted for about two seconds, and then Bull‘s laughter filled the room as he laughed out loud, holding his belly and laughing so hard that the bed was shaking. Dorian sat up and attempted to send him a glare, but the gesture was made useless by the fact that the mage was laughing as well. So instead he reached over and pulled their husband into the bed with him, wrangling him so he came to lie between him and Bull.

„So what you‘re saying is that… an ex-Ben-Hassrath spy, the former Commander of the Inquisition troops and a Tevinter Magister that all wear that one date engraved on the inside of their rings cannot manage to remember their own wedding anniversary?“

Bull had finally calmed down enough to breathe properly again and he wrapped his arms around their blond knight and pulled him back against his chest – right where Dorian‘s spot usually was. The mage let out a little huff and promptly went to claim Cullen‘s usual spot – lying down straight on Bull, using him as a mattress.

„Exactly that“ he heard Cullen say, and then a little chuckle escaped him as well. „What did I get these super smart husbands for if they can‘t even remember the important dates?“

It was Dorian then who shook his head and poked Cullen in the ribs. „The date is not important. Important is that we‘re married and together and happy.“ _And in love_. When had he even gotten so sappy? Cullen must have infected him with it around the time that he had given Dorian that horrible fondness for Mabari pups. Or maybe Bull had when he had started tying his rope harnesses into heart shaped patterns.

„Mhhh...“ Cullen seemed half asleep again, despite the fact that he had been up at dawn to feed the pups (that they were breeding completely against Dorian‘s explicit wishes, or so he still liked to pretend), but these days he liked to come back and snuggle with them again before dragging his husbands out of bed for breakfast.

„I love you. Both of you.“Cullen murmured, and Dorian smiled and ran a hand through those lovely blond curls, scratching behind Cullen‘s ear as if he was a puppy himself. Making declarations of love still didn‘t come easy to him, but he knew now that they didn‘t mind, that they loved him just like he was.

„What did Varric say about that, by the way?“

„Ah… about that… he suddenly insisted he was going to do the speech at the celebration...“


	4. Anders/Lirene

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> „I thought I was pregnant but the test must have been wrong, I‘m not.“

Anders wasn‘t surprised to see Lirene lingering even after he had closed the clinic for the night, but she wasn‘t normally this nervous and hovering about. She was a good woman, and she always saw work when and where it had to be done and did it without complaint. But now she was standing in his clinic, fidgeting and looking anywhere but the healer.  
„Lirene. You should go home, you did a lot today, working in the shop and then helping out in the clinic as well.“  
The woman sighed a little, then looked at him pleadingly. „Can I… can I ask something of you, healer?“ she asked and took a nervous step closer.  
„Of course. Anything you need. What can I do for you?“ he asked, stepping closer only when she climbed on one of the cots, her feet dangling freely as she kicked them back and forth a bit.  
„I met someone, Anders, and… you know how it goes sometimes. We weren‘t careful enough and...We don‘t have enough money to care for a child right now, and I don‘t even know if he‘ll stay once he knows. Can you… take it out of me?“  
Anders sighed, dragging his hands over his face and rubbing it while he was thinking. It was always a hard decision, but he could understand Lirene. She was always such a careful woman, and always looked after everyone… he couldn‘t fault her for slipping up just once.  
„Lay down, and I‘ll check you over first, alright? I want to see things for myself.“ He gently guided her to lay down on the cot and placed his hands on her abdomen, on top of her clothes, and started to let his healing magic flow through her.   
And what he found was… nothing. He frowned a little and let his magic probe deeper, checking her more thoroughly. He was sure that Lirene would not just come to him for fun but only if something was seriously wrong. After a bit more of probing around, he actually did find something, and he pulled back with a relieved sigh.  
„Lirene… It‘s just an unfortunate timing, probably. Your back muscles seem rather tense and strained, so that probably makes for some aches, and you seem to have caught a minor stomach bug...“ He placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled down at her.  
„But no baby. You‘re not pregnant.“  
When Lirene just gaped at him and stared, he allowed himself a little chuckle. „I still suggest being more careful though. Do you need any contraceptive potions?“  
Lirene slowly sat back up, apprently still not quite recovered from the shock, and stared at him for a while longer before she just started to laugh. It was the sort of laugh that came along with big relief, or after being very scared for a while. There was a bit of movement, and then Anders found himself with an armful of Lirene, getting a firm kiss planted on his cheek.   
„You‘re the best, Anders. Thank you so much.“ He chuckled a little and shook his head. „I didn‘t even do anything. There was nothing to do. You should take a few days though, get the stomach bug out of your system...“  
In return he just got a chuckle and another hug, and Lirene reached up to ruffle his hair.  
„No really, healer. Thank you. You‘re the best.“


	5. Fenris/Karl/Anders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> „I planned out this super romantic proposal and you just ruined it by beating me to the whole proposing thing.“

It was supposed to be perfect. Perfect enough to tell their children and grandchildren about it, and to make their friends hide their faces and tell them they were the biggest saps there were.

He often worked in the clinic until late at night, longer than his shifts officially were, but the past few days he had managed to sneak out earlier a few times, but had resisted the urge to go straight home to his loved ones, and instead he had prepared.

He had been to the jewelery store that he and Karl had once spend half an hour drooling over the window, and had comissioned two rings. One silver, with a white diamond in it, all clean lines and crisp, and the other golden, without a stone but with a beautiful carving on it. He had been sitting over the design together with the goldsmith and had talked about his men, his two and only.

And today he had been to pick them up, the two rings he wanted to use to propose to them. Ask them to be his husbands… He felt a bit jittery as he picked up the boxes and put them into the inside pocket of his jacket. What if they said no… they had never talked about this before. What if they didn‘t want to… or what if one said yes and the other didn‘t? What if they wanted to marry each other but not Anders? What if they only stuck with Anders because it was too convenient to break up with him anyway?

He took a deep breath, realising he was thinking himself into a panic, and shook his head. He needed to go home now first, and then he needed to pack.

Just a week later, he was back to feeling nervous and jittery and out of his depth. They had decided to go on a vacation over their anniversary (at Karl‘s insistence) and they hadn‘t gone to Tevinter (on Fenris‘ insistence). So they were strolling along an Antivan beach now, holding hands, and Anders felt two little velvet cubicles burning holes in his pockets.

He‘d been trying to find the perfect moment for days, always carrying the rings with him, but he hadn‘t gathered up his courage yet. Maybe he should do it tomorrow… tomorrow was their anniversary. They‘d be together for five years tomorrow…

Suddenly he was pulled out of his thoughts when Karl let go of his hand, running over to a bush of flowers close by, and when he came back, the held two red roses in his hands. Fenris leaned over to whisper in Anders‘ ear, chuckling slightly.

„He is very romantic, is he not, our Karl? Bringing us roses… maybe he will put them in your hair if I ask him nicely.“

As it turned out, however, Karl did not intend to place the roses in Anders‘ hair. At least not yet.

He waited for them a few steps ahead, but when they reached him he didn‘t fall into step with them again but instead stood his ground, forcing them to stop as well.

Anders frowned a little as Karl took a step back then, and a little gasp escaped him when Karl went down on one knee, holding the roses in front of him.

He wouldn‘t….! A day before their anniversary, at a random spot on the beach, with Anders having a speech prepared and rings in his pocket?! That just couldn‘t be!

He felt a hand squeeze his, and a quick glance told him that Fenris was completely stunned by what he was hearing, and he could see a few tears collecting in the usually stoic elf‘s eyes.

Only then did he realise that Karl was indeed already talking, and he snapped his attention back to him, ready to shout out his answer already.

„...so will you two do me the honour and spend your lives with me? Will you marry me?“

While Fenris was silently nodding and trying to discreetly wipe his eyes, Anders didn‘t reply right away. Instead, he reached into his pockets with shaking hands and produced the two velvet boxes that had been in them. He flipped them open to check that he was holding out the right ring to the right man, and then went down on one knee as well, facing them as he tried to hold back tears.

„I had planned this for months, and now you beat me to it… I wish nothing more than to be bonded to both of you.“ It had been meant to be a simple statement, but his voice cracked halfway through and it came out like a teary question instead.

That didn‘t seem to matter though as he suddenly had Fenris in his arms, clinging to him and Karl as he pretended not to cry into their shoulders. He couldn‘t make out much, just patches of „yes“, „never thought I‘d find anyone“, „make me so happy“, „only ones for me“, „yes, yes“ and „never without you“. He smiled over the white shock of hair and leaned in to give Karl a deep, heartfelt kiss. „I love you.“ he whispered. „Both of you.“

When they made their way back later, they all seemed to have a skip in their step. Karl and Fenris were proudly wearing their new engagement rings, and Fenris and Anders had red roses woven into the flower crowns that Karl had made for both his fiancés.

„I can‘t believe I didn‘t realise that both of you were up to something… both of you, and I didn‘t notice a thing“ Fenris murmured, shaking his head as he squeezed their hands tightly. He still looked a bit teary eyed, but his face showed that he was the happiest he had been in a long while. At least it was the happiest face he had let himself show in public for a long while.

„But“ he then continued, and his smile turned into a little mischievious smirk, „With you two thinking about your proposals so much… I bet _I_ came up with the best idea how to celebrate our anniversary tomorrow.“


	6. Dorian/Anders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> „Oh hey! Could you come and taste this to see if it‘s okay?“

„Oh hey! Could you come and taste this to see if it‘s okay?“ As soon as the man he had called out to looked up, Anders knew he was likely in trouble. It wasn‘t just any mage. It was that mage from Tevinter. That wonderfully handsome, terribly smart mage that liked to wield words as if they were swords. That man that had Anders‘ dick twitching in his pants whenever he saw him only in passing or thought about him.

Said mage was coming closer now, his head tilted as he looked at Anders.

„And why, pray tell, should I come and taste to see if it‘s okay?“ Anders gulped a little and debated falling back into old habits for a moment and to just run. But then he remembered an important detail and plastered on a smile, raising the plate he was holding.

„I was given what that merchant claimed was an authenting Tevinter cookie recipe, and I thought maybe I could convince you to give a judgement on it‘s authenticity?“ That seemed to intrigue Altus Pavus enough to make him actually think about it, and after a moment he raised his hand, but then stopped mid-air.

„These are not poisoned, I take it?“ Anders groaned internally, but shook his head. He shook the plate a little, mixing the cookies around a bit before picking one at random and shoving it into his own mouth to show they weren‘t poisoned. He wanted to feel offended, but with Dorian one never knew. Maybe he thought of Anders as the great terrorrist that should not be given a second chance and that could be suspected to try and poison them all with cookies, or he was just suspicious because he had had enough reason to assume everyone was out for him.

Apparently his blatant show was enough though, as the mage reached out and took one of the cookies, delicately biting into it, bending forward a bit to not get any crumbs on his precious robes.

But then, he stopped chewing and stared at Anders wide-eyed. Anders looked down, frantically thinking about whether anything had gone wrong, if there had been anything that could offend the Tevinter mage, but then he saw the tears forming in the other mage‘s eyes and the way he eyed the plate in a longing way. Anders looked around to see if anyone was watching, but their little exchange had seemingly gone unnoticed. He took another one of the cookies for himself and then handed the plate off to Dorian.

„For you. Against the homesickness. I‘ll go make another batch for everyone else.“ On impulse, he leaned forward and placed a kiss to the Tevinter‘s cheek, then walked away while fearing to be cursed with some ice spell or maybe lightning every step. But nothing happened, and later, when he saw him across the hall at dinner, Dorian pushed a half-full plate away, explaining that he had had an unexpected snack beforehand already.

And when he found a plate of little cakes made the typical Anderfels way and an invitation to dinner in his room the next day, he knew that asking Dorian to taste those cookies had been the best coincidence in a long, long time.


	7. Karl/Anders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> „May I have this dance, husband?“

„May I have this dance, husband?“ He watched as Anders turned to him, his white dress swishing around him. He stared at him with his big, expressive eyes, and slowly broke into a grin.

„Husband“ he murmured and moved into Karl’s arms, with a grin as wide as could be. It was the only thing he said before he took Karl’s hands and kissed them. „My husband.“ It still sounded new to both of them, and he knew that they wouldn’t stop calling each other husband for a long time yet, simply to rejoice in the feeling of getting to experience the pure joy that went along with that title.

„Your husband, yes“ Karl murmured and pulled his newly wedded husband against him, starting to sway to the music with him. They had already danced earlier, a waltz and many other dances, and by now his feet were hurting, but he didn’t care. Finally, after long years of separation, of fighting for survival, of running away together, finally he had married the man that he loved and he would celebrate and dance until they were the last ones standing, and then he wanted to take his husband into their bed and make sweet love to him, knowing that they would be together forever at last.

He beamed into his Anders‘ face, a pleasant shudder running through him as he felt the ring on Anders‘ finger pressing into his palm. The ring that he had put there, the ring that said that he wanted to be with Karl and only Karl from now on. „My husband“ he sighed, and leaned in to kiss his most beloved husband.

Behind them there was a little scoffing noise, and then a disgusted sound, and when he looked up he saw Fenris and Cassandra looking at one another, shaking hands over their understanding of their feelings towards the newlyweds. Karl grinned in their direction before turning back to his husband. He knew that they were happy for them, and that this was just their way of showing it. He shared a secret smile with his husband and pulled him even closer until their foreheads rested together. „I can’t wait to take this dress off you, love. As gorgeous as it is on you, I love knowing that from now on I will be the only one to see you naked.“

In return he got a little chuckle and a husband who leaned in to kiss him deeply. „Well, I wouldn’t want anyone but you to see me naked anyway, love. You’re the one for me, and what I have under my dress is no one else’s business.“

He then smirked and leaned in to whisper conspirationally into Karl’s ear. „Dorian gave me something for under my dress that I’m wearing and that only you may see. It’s lacy and has garters, and the rest you’ll have to find out for yourself.“

Suddenly, Karl wasn’t so set on being the last to leave the party, but was rather eager to get his new husband to their bed soon. They still had an eventful night ahead of them after all.


	8. Carver/Felix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> „I wanted to surprise you for our anniversary but everything that could go wrong did go wrong“

He was close to tears by the time he pulled the cookies out of the oven, and he really wasn‘t someone who was prone to tears. But this was supposed their day, their anniversary, and it was supposed to be happy and perfect. But the first thing that had ruined the perfect day was that Felix had been called into work despite the fact that they had both taken the day off nearly half a year in advance. But when an emergency happened and you wanted to become a partner in your company then you just had to go. So now Carver was home alone, and the disasters just kept happening. He had gone out to the supermarket to get ingredients for a romantic dinner at home, since he knew Felix would be too tired to go out once he came home again, and of course the car broke down on his way back. He had to carry everything back by foot, and on top of that they‘d have to worry about a large bill from the repair shop or even getting a new car.

He had never been one for cooking, that was usually Felix‘ domain, but on their fifth anniversary he wanted to spoil his boyfriend, show him how important he was and how much he loved him, so he was determined to make one of Felix‘ favourite dishes, something delicious but very Tevinter. Needless to say that with his lack of skill and his already gloomy mood it was soon clear that he was hopelessly lost, that his chicken was burned and dry and the sauce was clumpy and the rice was just a sticky, burned mess. He chucked it all into the trash and placed everything into the dishwasher and started the machine.

They could eat takeout from that nice Tevinter place that Felix liked so much, and he could just bake him some cookies. Cookies were always good, and they would still show how much he cared, right?

Once the cookies were in the oven, he almost allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relief. Almost. He‘d just have to make sure he would pull them out of the oven in time. He was even pretty sure he hadn‘t forgotten some vital ingredient like the last time he had tried to bake.

That was when he had noticed the small puddle of water in front of the dishwasher that was spreading rather rapidly, and some investigation showed that apparently the water pipe had chosen this exact moment to break. Of course, because why would anything go well that day?

An hour later he was standing in the kitchen with rubber boots on, holding some tools for a mechanic who was dragging the dishwasher from its usual place to try and get to the waterpipe. Carver wondered why it smelled burned in the kitchen when there was only water flooding everything when he remembered the cookies.

The cookies that were now little more than rounds of coal sitting on the bakingsheet in the oven. He quickly pulled them out and at least had the mind to set them on the counter to cool before throwing them out or he‘d have set the bin on fire or something.

When the mechanic declared that there was nothing he could do for now but he‘d sent a colleague by the next day he was close to a breakdown, and he wished for nothing more than for this day to end and for Felix to come home. At least he was at work and didn‘t have to witness the disaster that Carver was making of their home.

He had just started clearing the living room, making sure to get all of Felix‘ books off the floor in case the water flowed into that room when suddenly their door flew open and Garret came running in.

„What do you want!“Carver shouted at him, but for once Garrett didn‘t seem willing to start a shouting match with his brother.

„She‘s been calling you for ages, why don‘t you answer your phone, the baby is coming!“

Carver realised in that moment that he had no idea where his phone was, but it was likely still at the roadside where his car was waiting to be picked up the next morning, but that wasn‘t important right then. His twin sister was having her first child, and that was the only thing that might be more important than his and Felix‘ happiness on this day.

He had no idea how they got to the hospital, or even the room he was now sitting in, holding his sister‘s hand. Garrett and her darling husband were sitting outside, both of them apparently not able to stomach the sight before them, but Carver was determined. Someone was going to be with Bethany through this, and if it had to be him then he bloody well would sit here and hold her hand and wipe her forehead and tell her how great she was doing and endure all the insults she hurled at him.

The only highlight to his day was when hours later, a very exhausted and tired Bethany explained that yes, Garrett was the eldest, but Carver was her twin and had been with her during the labour so he‘d get to hold his nephew first. And then he held him, the tiny bundle whose birth he had just witnessed, and kissed his teeny nose before handing him off to a brooding yet very proud Garrett.

It was already late at night when they left again, and Carver was dirty and had wet socks and was tired and exhausted, and when they came down to see that Garrett had parked in a forbidden spot in his haste and that the car had been towed off he felt himself nearing a breakdown. He turned on his heel and went back inside, sitting down on a chair in front of Bethany‘s room. He could hear her and Sebastian laughing inside, and he didn‘t want to intrude on their happy parent time with his gloomy mood.

But he hadn‘t even seen Felix yet today. It was half an hour to midnight and he hadn‘t even seen the man that he shared his life with for five years as of today. It had been supposed to be a day just for them, to celebrate them as a couple, to rejoice in their love, and now there was nothing, no smile, no hug, no kiss. No message.

Garrett found him some time later with his face buried in his hands, pretending not to cry, and for once he didn‘t try and fight or to drag Carver down even more. He just placed an arm around his shoulder and started to walk him home. They didn‘t speak, but at some point Carver found himself holding hands with his older brother as he dreaded to come home to a flooded, cold and empty home. Or maybe a flooded home with an upset and angry Felix inside. It only occured to him then that he had forgotten his keys as well. Well, this day was just nasty from start to finish it seemed.

This was the sort of situation where he‘d normally call Bethany and have an unmanly breakdown on her, but right now that was out of the question. He probably wouldn‘t be able to tell her about his shitty day for a while to come now.

The only upside was that Garrett had a replacement key, and he pushed it into Carver‘s hand before patting his shoulder and leaving to go home to his own boyfriends. Carver sighed and stepped up to the front door, carefully unlocking it.

The whole ground floor was flooded by then, there was an ankle deep pond where their floor had been, and a little waterfall down into the basement. But that was not what had Carver gaping.

No, there were little swimming candles floating on the water, all throughout the house. They made the mess that it was look so romantic. And in the middle of the living room there was their inflatable mattress that they had bought the summer before, and someone had placed more candles on it, and champagne and an enormous amount of Carver‘s favourite foods. And next to the mattress there was Felix, standing there in nothing but thigh high rubber boots and the silky boxers that Carver had gotten him for their last anniversary, and Carver could see his whole face lighting up the moment he spotted his boyfriend.

And then, in that moment, it all didn‘t matter anymore. He saw Felix‘ face light up and his eyes starting to sparkle and he knew that he was at home again, and that everything would be alright. He waded through the water, and before they even said anything they were hugging and sharing a deep, loving kiss. It was perfect, and everything he could have wanted.

Carver pulled back first from the kiss to stare at the man he loved, and then to look at the floating dinner table next to them. He could scarcely believe it, Felix had managed to do all the things Carver had wanted to do for him, with the tiny detail that he had actually gotten them done.

He bent down to take a look at a little box sitting in the middle of all the platters of food, and he gasped once he realised what it was. A simple gold band, sitting in a velvet box.

He looked up at Felix, at his wonderful, beautiful face that looked even more gorgeous in the candle light, and he was treated with that soft, warm smile that Felix always reserved for private moments like these.

„Happy anniversary, love“ Felix whispered, as if he didn‘t want to disturb the atmosphere by speaking too loud, and he picked up the box with the ring. Carver leaned against him, taking his hand, and he gazed at the man of his dreams and already breathed the answer to the question Felix hadn‘t yet asked.

„Yes. Yes I will.“


	9. Cullen/Carver

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> „This is probably a bad time, but marry me?“

He took a deep breath as he looked around the Gallows. He could make out Hawke, and that blond apostate of his. The one that Meredith was now raving about. He knew that Orsino and his mages were somewhere as well, even though there were also rumors of Orsino being dead. Maybe that demon that he had Hawke seen kill was what had been left of the First Enchanter after all. He couldn‘t be sure. And it didn‘t matter right now. He saw lots of familiar faces, but the one face he wanted to see wasn‘t among them. What if he hadn‘t made it, what if he was lying somewhere now, cold and dead and… no, he couldn‘t think about that now.

Cullen only tuned in to their crazy Knight-Commander once she had already been talking a bunch, and it was all he could do not to turn around and just lop her head off in that moment. Did she really not see? He stepped forward, talking back to her for the first time, but he didn‘t hear what he was even saying. His eyes kept darting about, looking for a face he was more and more desparate to find. He knew he should be behind him with his Templars, but he knew he had slipped out earlier to join his brother.

Meredith was turning on him now, raging about some corruption or other and how he didn‘t see the reality anymore when in truth it was her who couldn‘t see past her prejudices anymore.

It was only when Meredith declared his life forfeit with all the others that he spotted him, further behind, flanked by the two elves that followed Hawke. So he wasn‘t dead, he was very much alive still!

He completely tuned out, and only realised what was going on when one of the bronze statues landed almost on his head. It was enough to shake him out of his thoughts, and he gave everything he had into the fight. He still had something to fight for, after all. Someone to fight for, and he would go until the very end for him.

He had no idea how it happened, he only marginally realised that he had to call his Templars back at some point, those who had stayed loyal to the Templars at least, not to Meredith, and then suddenly it was over. There was an ugly red statue where formerly the Knight-Commander had been, and Hawke‘s little group was standing around it a little forlornly.

Cullen‘s helmet and sword clattered to the ground, as did his shield and breastplate as he neared them. The glances he received were still less than friendly, and Hawke was standing in front of the blond apostate with his sword drawn and teeth bared as he approached.

Not that Cullen had any eyes for them, he was only looking at him. At those blue eyes and that black hair that he had come to love, at those flushed cheeks that he loved to kiss until they reddened even more. Cullen didn‘t even look at Hawke as he strode right past him to his younger brother, who looked at him with confusion clear on his face. They had decided to keep their relationship a secret early on, but Cullen had had enough of it now. Enough of silently worrying if he would be okay, of knowing that he would be the last to be told if something happened to him.

He smiled as their eyes met, and he easily lowered himself to one knee in front of his Carver.

„I know this is probably a bad time, but… marry me?“

To his surprise it wasn‘t Carver who answered, but the tiny elven girl who always tagged along. She squealed and threw herself at Carver, telling him how happy she was for him even as Carver was nodding fervently and tugging Cullen up to kiss him even through the additional hindrance of having a very happy elf wrapped around his shoulders. Cullen didn‘t mind though and happily obliged.

That was, until he felt himself being forcibly dragged back until he stared into the ice cold eyes of a very angry older Hawke brother.

„Hurt him and you‘ll wish you‘d never been born, are we clear?“

He looked around the group and saw that same look reflected on every face, apart from the elven girl who still just seemed happy for them. Everyone else was staring at him as if it would be their utmost pleasure to end Cullen‘s life that very moment. He looked back at Carver who just seemed distinctly uncomfortable all of a sudden, and he broke out into a wide smile when he turned back to Hawke.

„Perfectly clear, Serrah Hawke. I wish to bring your brother nothing but happiness, as he has brought nothing but happiness and love into my own life.“

And with those words, he felt himself being plucked out of Hawke‘s arms and swept up into the younger Hawke‘s arms, and in some weird sort of way he realised the happiest moment in his life was right now, being dipped down by Carver in front of Meredith‘s Red Lyrium statue, with Hawke staring holes into his back and threatening his life and being snogged senseless. He didn‘t know how, but he knew that it was perfection nonetheless.


	10. Fenris/Hawke/Anders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> „I knew we had a big fight but we still need to decorate the house for the holidays“

When Anders came home, the destruction wasn‘t even as big on the first glance as it could have been. He had worked overnight in the clinic, and Garrett had texted him that he and Fenris had had a fight and that he was staying over at Varric‘s for the night. Neither he or Fenris had answered their phones then, and Anders had been very worried when he approached their home.

He only found some minor disarray though, some clothes and trinkets littered the floor, and someone had thrown some dishes in the kitchen, apparently. He sat down his bag and tiptoed his way in, not wanting to cut up his own feet by accidentally stepping on some glass.

He found Fenris in the living room, stitching away furiously on something red, having to stop every few seconds to sniffle and wipe his eyes. He knew immediately that that must be that little ratty scratch of red fabric that Hawke had given him ages ago and that he wore around his wrist every single day next to the frayed and old hair tie from Anders.

Without saying anything, Anders sat next to him and took the needle and the fabric from his hands and pulled his boyfriend against his chest, where he pretended not to hear the muffled crying sounds. With Fenris it was always better to pretend he wasn‘t crying than to try and comfort him.

They stayed like that for a while, and Anders felt himself drifting off. It had been one hell of a night at the clinic, and all he had wanted to do upon coming home was to curl up and sleep, but he didn‘t think that he would get to do much of that that day.

They both jerked upright again when the front door opened again, and then there was a sheepish looking Hawke, holding two boxes in his arms.

„What do you think the colour theme should be this year? Red or green? It‘s both so festive...“

„Hawke.“ Anders tried to sound stern, but he knew it came out more exhausted.

„I know we had a big fight, but we still need to decorate the house!“ Hawke protested, and Anders could feel and hear Fenris sigh beside him. He let out a little groan and rubbed Fenris side.

„Alright. There are two brooms in this house, so each of you will take one, and one will clean the living room, the other the kitchen. Meanwhile I‘ll fix this mess here and sew the bracelet back together“ he explained, pointing out the red fabric on the table. „And then we‘ll make tea and sit down and you two will explain what‘s going on and you will sort it out. And then I want a bath and a massage from you two and a nap where I can be the middle spoon and _then_ we can decorate.“

He huffed a little and poked Fenris while glaring at Hawke until they both went to get a broom. Anders stood a little and stretched before starting to look around to see if Pounce was doing okay. It wouldn‘t do if his little kitten was somewhere hurt and scared just because Hawke and Fenris couldn‘t keep it together after all. But then a thought crossed his mind and he called after his two boyfriends as loud as he could.

„Oh, and if you two aren‘t back to making up and kissing by the time decorating rolls around, I‘ll cover the whole house in mistletoe! Every square inch of the ceiling!“

There was silence from the broom closet, and then a very Hawke like snort and a very Fenris like little giggle and then there were unmistakable kissing sounds. Anders chuckled, he knew that their fights were always big but they also managed to pull themselves together pretty quickly afterwards again. And as he sat down to mend yet another tear in Fenris‘ beloved fabric piece he couldn‘t quite keep himself from calling over to them again.

„Very well, but don‘t think that keeps me from covering everything in mistletoe anyway!“


	11. Cullen/Carver/Anders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> „I came home to a nerf gun today with a note on it that said ‚here is your weapon. I have one too. Loser cooks dinner. Good luck. xo‘

Cullen already knew what he was up for when he bent down to pick up the bright plastic gun on the front porch, and really, he found the predictable note on it saying ‚here is your weapon. I have one too. Loser cooks dinner. Good luck. xo‘ He could tell by the handwriting that it had been Carver who wrote it, and he was grateful that he knew the fridge was full and he wouldn‘t have to head out again. He stood no chance against Carver, so he already prepared mentally for cooking dinner later.

Luckily it was a rather hot day, so he started by stripping off his shirt before checking if the nerf gun was loaded and then starting to sneak his way around the house. His only chance was to catch Carver unawares, but that was highly unlikely. That guy had ears like a hawk.

He carefully made his way around, expecting Carver to be on the terrace or in the garden at the back of the house, hopefully facing the other way so he could surprise him.

What he had not calculated, however, was that Carver might be hiding in the bushes alongside the house, and for him to jump out and attack Cullen before he even had a chance to get his gun ready. He let out a rather unmanly shriek as the cold water hit his skin, and he blindly fired back, running away to avoid the worst of the damage.

Carver caught up with him rather fast, however, and soon Cullen found himself submerged in their inflatable pool, throwing up his hands to admit defeat. He futilely splashed some water up at Carver even as the other pulled him up out of the water and into a welcome home kiss that could only be called a thorough snogging. Cullen gave him a little shove when they were done, but he was laughing and quickly made to step out of his remaining, drenched clothes.

„How do you always know that this is what I need when I had a shitty day?“ he asked as he handed his jeans over and Carver carried them over to pin them to the clothes line.

„I just do. And it was the perfect weather for it“ he smiled as they went into the house – Carver with considerably wet clothes, and Cullen stark naked.

Cullen made straight for the kitchen, feeling hungry and remembering the deal about dinner. What he found in the kitchen though made him stop dead. There was Anders, hair wet, as naked as Cullen apart from his beloved kitten apron, and he was humming as he clearly went about cooking. He looked up when the other two entered the kitchen and grinned widely.

„Hello there, handsome“ he purred as he sauntered over to Cullen to pull him into a kiss. „I see you‘ve come to join me? Carver here is making us slave away in the kitchen tonight… I already started on dinner, but maybe you could make some of those gorgeous muffins you make for dessert? Carver has been whining that he wants them all day, I think it all might just have been a ploy to try and get you to bake them...“

Cullen turned to look at Carver, who suddenly looked a bit sheepish and blushed, causing his two boyfriends to chuckle. „You could just have asked, you know“ Cullen murmured as he pulled him into a hug, and then he turned back to Anders.

„We should make a new rule, don‘t you think? He only gets to eat a muffin if he‘s as naked as us?“ Anders grinned, taking his time to deliberately let his eyes wander over Carver‘s form.

„I think he should be very naked, yes, and he should be dunked in the pool before dessert.“ He peered into the pot, then winked at Cullen.

„Dinner‘s ready in about ten minutes.“ Cullen grinned back at him and wheeled around, throwing Carver over his shoulder before the younger man had a chance to react.

„Off to the pool, love, it‘s bath and revenge time!“


	12. Cullen/Dorian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> „I‘m really drunk, please help me get safely out of the way so I don‘t ruin our friends‘ wedding.“

When he saw Dorian trying to flirt with Blackwall, he knew that it was time. The mage had been well and truly plastered for a while, but Cullen had thought that maybe he‘d realise when it was time for him to stop, but apparently he hadn‘t.

Dorian was clad in the finest of clothes, probably wore the most noticeable outfit besides the wedded pair and maybe Lady Vivienne. He had smiled through the whole evening, making conversation and flirting, telling the most outrageous stories. But Cullen noticed that the smile had never reached his eyes, and that he kept looking over to the Inquisitor. The Inquisitor who was sitting on the Iron Bull‘s lap, newly married to the qunari and happy and very much in love. The Inquisitor who had started out dating Dorian but had eventually dropped him for Bull. Apparently Dorian was still very much not over it.

And now he was in a state where he started to draw more and more attention, and even Bull started to look into his direction more and more, and it was clear that while he would never say anything, he wasn‘t pleased about Dorian losing more and more of his inhibitions and getting closer and closer to potentially ruining their evening.

So maybe, Cullen concluded, maybe it was his time now. He walked over to the mage and simply wrapped an arm around his waist.

„I think you‘ve had enough for tonight, Lord Dorian“ he murmured, starting to pull him away from the table, much to the obvious relief of a certain bearded warrior. Dorian fell heavily against him and stared up at him with a serene smile.

„Your hair is almost as beautiful as that of the Inquisitor“ he murmured, and Cullen just gave him a smile in return. Now was not the time to act upon the feelings he had developed for the mage, feelings he knew would never be returned as Dorian was still pining for the Inquisitor.

„I‘ll bring you to your rooms“ he replied instead and started weaving his way through the celebrating men in the tavern, never letting go of Dorian‘s wrist until they were outside and breathing the fresh mountain air as they walked – or in Dorian‘s case stumbled – through Skyhold‘s courtyard.

„My, being brought home by a handsome man… who knew someone‘d do that for me...“ Dorian was starting to slur, and Cullen wrapped an arm around him again as casually as possible so the mage could lean on him.

„I‘m not going to take advantage of you in this state, Dorian“ he murmured, but he only got a brilliant smile in return.

„‘Snot taking a‘vantage when I want‘t...“ Cullen swallowed, but chose to ignore that statement. Dorian couldn‘t know what he wanted right now, after all.

Soon after, just after they had made it through the great hall, Dorian quite literally fell asleep on Cullen while walking, and the Commander found that he didn‘t mind all that much that he had to carry the mage the rest of the way.

He hesitated only a moment before entering Dorian‘s chambers, and he didn‘t even look around before gently placing the mage down on the bed. He sat down next to him, and carefully started to take off his boots and outer robes. Dorian would surely have a fit in the morning once he found out that someone just took off his clothes. Then again he‘d also have a fit if he‘d make him sleep in his clothes, so maybe there wasn‘t a right way to go about this anyway.

Once he had tucked him in and was about to rise again, he found that his wrist was held rather tightly in the mage‘s grip. He tried to pull away, but Dorian only held on tighter, his eyes slowly blinking open.

„St‘y“ he murmured, and the unmistakable tug towards him caused Cullen to shed his own boots and coat – onehandedly- and to climb into the mage‘s bed.

„He never stayed...“ Dorian murmured, snuggling back until he was spooned into Cullen, and then let out a little sigh.

„‘ve been wond‘ring when I‘d get you into my bed“ he slurred, turning his head towards the other man.

„Wanna marry you one day.“

And if Cullen smiled madly while he hushed Dorian and told him to go back to sleep, no one had to know. And if he promised that if he really wanted it he‘d marry him one day, well, no one was around to hear and prove it.


	13. Cullen/Alistair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> „My ex just invited me to their wedding and I need you to be my date so it doesn‘t look like I‘ve spent the last few years failing to get over them.“

Cullen had barely read through the invitation – the dreaded invitation that he had been waiting for for too long already – when his door opened. When he saw that it was Alistair calling, he already knew that this was about. He probably wasn‘t the only one getting an invitation after all.

„Hey.“ He knew he already sounded defeated when he spoke up, but it couldn‘t be helped now.

„Did you get an invitation as well? From...her?“ Not even a greeting, just jumping straight into it. Alistair really must be a bad way in.

„Yeah… Not sure if I‘ll go yet though.“ It was no secret that he was still pining her after years and years, after having seen her be happy with Alistair, then dump him for the redheaded bard she was now apparently going to marry.

„You could… go with me?“ It sounded almost hesitant, shy, as if Alistair wasn‘t quite sure if he really wanted to ask that. „We could go together, show her we moved on?“ _Pretended_ to have moved on, more like, and they both knew it. Neither of them was over her yet, and somehow they had ended up bonding over their shared heartbreak, and had become best friends somewhere along the way.

So Cullen just shrugged, and pushed the invitation aside. „Sure thing. Wouldn‘t want to let you go all by yourself.“

And that was how several months later he found himself sitting in a Chantry, watching the woman he had loved for so many years marry someone else. She looked happy, he had to give her that, and somehow not a day older than she had when he had last seen her about five years ago. He felt a hand slide into his own, and when he looked over to Alistair and saw the tears in his eyes he was sure that they weren‘t tears of happiness for Solona, but rather the realisation that it was well and truly over now, that neither of them still had a chance with her.

Later, when they had finally gotten to the front of the endless line of well-wishers and finally came face to face with her, Solona seemed surprised to see them, and even more surprised when she looked down at their joined hands that they had somehow never bothered to pull back after Alistair had first reached over tot ake Cullen‘s. They both gave her an awkward hug and congratulated her and then made sure to get away and get as far from her as possible. They didn‘t need to watch her be happy for too long after all.

They found a reasonably quiet corner and sat down at a table there, quietly watching the numerous guests moving about and chatting happily. They didn‘t talk much, just quietly sipped their champagne and watched, but sometime through the program Cullen realised that he was watching Alistair more than anything else. Alistair and the way his eyes got so sad when they slid over Solona, and the way he tapped his foot in a special rhythm to calm himself just like he had done it ever since Cullen had known him. Alistair and his fine features, his lips, his wonderful nose and strong hands, and the way he toyed and fidgeted with the single rose on their table as if he was nervous.

They only lasted until shortly after dinner, and by then Cullen felt much more like leaving than by getting plastered on his ex‘s wedding. „Wanna get out of here?“ he murmured into Alistair‘s ear, and the other nodded, but held him back for a few moments. Cullen watched him break off the head of the rose, and then he turned and placed it into Cullen‘s button hole without a comment. Somehow on their way out their hands tangled again, and neither of them noticed that Solona saw them leaving, holding hands and walking close together, nor the look of relief that crossed her face at that.

They decided to walk back through the streets of Denerim, and they only spoke again once they had almost reached the inn where Alistair was staying. „Will you stay a while still? Or go back to Amaranthine straight away?“ Cullen asked, and Alistair shrugged a little and reached out to toy with the rose again but without plucking it from Cullen‘s clothes.

„I‘m not sure yet, I still have a few days of leave. I wouldn‘t know what to do though, so I might just go back anyway“ he murmured.

„I have a few days off as well, we could do something together?“ Cullen offered. It wasn‘t often these days that he saw Alistair, who was busy being the Warden Commander at Vigil‘s Keep, and he was always travelling around for the Templar Order as a messenger or to fill in as a teacher at times. Kinloch Hold had left him unfit for active duty, but he didn‘t always mind.

„Do what? Walk through the market again? They won‘t have anything new either there.“

And then, on instict, Cullen leaned in, and it wasn‘t until after he had firmly pressed his lips to Alistair‘s that he realised just what he had done. „We could just… spend time together“ he whispered, and suddenly he saw Alistair blushing the way he had always blushed around Solona, and he was getting _that_ look, and then there were strong arms around him, pulling him into a firm hug, and that was all he needed for now. All he had needed in a while, he had only been too blind to see.

Needless to say, Cullen did not go home that night.


	14. Cullen/Anders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> „IF YOU USE UP ALL THE HOT WATER ONE MORE TIME I‘M GOING TO BAN YOU TO THE COUCH FOR A MONTH!“

Cullen knew that Anders was working late again, and that he likely wouldn‘t be home until late at night, so he had gone for a jog and had then taken a shower. A rather lengthy shower, admittedly, to relax and get clean and to get rid of a not so little issue in his pants, since Anders wasn‘t home to help him with it.

He was now in bed, already tucked in and reading a little, and Anders had just come home, dropped his things, placed a kiss on Cullen‘s head before he disappeared again, presumably to go shower as well.

Yes, Cullen had taken a lengthy shower, as he often did, and yet he still jumped in surprise as his boyfriend started shouting at him from the bathroom.

„CULLEN STANTON RUTHERFORD!“

Only his mother ever called him by his full name. Or Anders, when Cullen accidentally forced him to take a cold shower. Like it happened… about once a week.

„IF YOU USE UP ALL THE HOT WATER ONE MORE TIME I‘M GOING TO BAN YOU TO THE COUCH FOR A MONTH, I SWEAR BY THE MAKER!“

Cullen got up and made his way to the bathroom, already dreading having to face his boyfriend.

„I know… I‘m sorry-“

„YOU‘RE SORRY? YOU KNEW I‘D COME HOME LATE AFTER MAKER KNOWS HOW MANY SURGERIES AND TREATMENTS AND THAT I‘D WANT TO SHOWER, IS IT SO HARD TO JUST STOP FIVE MINUTES EARLIER? YOU KNOW I NEVER TAKE LONG!“

Cullen sighed, wringing his hands together. „I know… I just… didn‘t realise? It was still warm when I got out...“

Anders huffed and rolled his eyes, climbing out of the shower again and grabbing his dirty clothes. „Yeah, there was still warm water for about thirthy seconds, just enough for me to get fully under it before it turned cold. You‘re such an arse, seriously.“

He got dressed again and just stormed past Cullen, who went after him to try and apologise some more, telling him he‘d lost track of the time and that he‘d start setting himself a timer now, promise!

At the door to their flat, Anders turned around and glared at him. „Or maybe I should start showering first so you can get such nice cold showers as well“ he hissed, then went outside and slammed the door hard enough for it to vibrate within its frame. He hadn‘t said where he‘d gone off to, but Cullen assumed he would be just two stories up where Hawke lived to go shower there, as he did every time that Cullen managed to only leave him cold water.

He sighed, knowing that it was of no use to go after him if he was pissed like that, and instead went into the kitchen to prepare some food for when he got back. If he didn‘t Anders would just grab some energy bars or something, and that really was not acceptable dinner food. And now that he had already pissed him off he made sure to put in extra effort, preparing some of Anders‘ favourites for him and keeping the pot covered on the warm stove to keep it warm longer. Maker only knew when Anders would return after all. Sometimes he came back after half an hour, sometimes only halfway the next day.

He sighed and went to grab a blanket before he curled up on the couch. It was late, and he needed to sleep, but he didn‘t want to deal with whatever else Anders would throw at him if he found him sleeping in the bed after threatening to put him on the couch. He wrapped himself up in the blanket, trying to think of something that he could do to make it up to Anders again. Maybe prepare a nice romantic date, offer to massage him…? Make sure they could take a nice hot shower together? And start setting a timer when he was home alone and showering and he knew Anders still wanted to shower later, certainly.

He must have dozed off at some point, because he woke up to his skinny beanpole boyfriend lifting him from the couch and hauling his sleepy ass into the bedroom. „Don‘t you dare think you‘ll get out of the punishment cuddles“ he grumbled and dropped Cullen unceremoniously onto their bed before crawling in himself and wrapping the blond man up in his long limbs.

„You know I need my cuddles. Especially if I couldn‘t warm up with a shower beforehand.“

Cullen murmured something sleepily, not quite sure himself what he was even trying to say, but Anders quickly shushed him and planted a kiss on his forehead.

„Sleep, you idiot. I still love you, and I‘ll buy you a waterproof timer tomorrow.“


	15. Fenris/Carver

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> „My parents are coming over in 10 minutes, please put some clothes on.“

Carver was standing in the door to his old room and watched his boyfriend not get dressed, but instead sprawling on the bed as if he owned it. Fenris always said that this bed was so much more comfortable than the one he had at the mansion, but somehow he still refused to get a new one for himself. Something about Danarius, probably.

He could practically feel himself salivating over that body in front of him, and he wanted to pounce on him and go for a third round, but he knew there wasn‘t any more time.

„Fenris. Please“ he murmured, looking back towards the front door again. Garrett was off to some gala or another, and he had taken Anders with him, but he knew that the healer always retired early when he got the chance, so he expected them back any minute now. His meddlesome brother was likely dying of curiosity anyway, trying to find out why Fenris had refused to come with him and why he had stayed with Carver at the Hawke mansion. Their relationship wasn‘t exactly a secret, and Carver had little enough time off as it was, he didn‘t want to answer any of his brother‘s prying questions when he could just spend time with his boyfriend indeed.

Fenris didn‘t seem to be too impressed though and continued to show off the lines of his body, his muscles, and those deceptively beautiful lyrium markings on his skin. „I do not understand the problem“ he shrugged and waved Carver to come over. „He has seen me naked a lot of times, as has the mage. It is no secret what we are doing here, so why do you want me to cover up so badly? Unless you are ashamed of me?“

He suddenly sat up, looking at Carver sharply. Of course. No matter what happened, under all his layers Fenris was still so very insecure and thought he‘d be kicked out at the first chance.

„Of course not!“ Carver protested and stepped into the room, shutting the door firmly behind him. „I would never be ashamed of you, or of what we have! I just don‘t want him to pry. It is not their business, and I don‘t want to display it for everyone to see.“ He came closer and sat at the edge of the bed, letting Fenris pull him down into a kiss.

„I just don‘t think you naked on my bed is a sight I‘m ready to share yet“ he murmured, and the elf gently tugged him closer so he was coming to lie on top of the other‘s slighter frame.

Of course, that was when the door opened.

„Carv, I just wanted to tell you I‘m ho-“ Garrett stopped mid sentence when he realised what he was seeing, and Carver jumped up, turning around and trying to hide a still very naked Fenris from Garrett‘s view by shielding him with his body.

„That‘s hot.“ his idiot brother grinned, and Carver could have killed him. He might have jumped to attack him if not a pale, skinny arm had wormed his way around Garrett‘s waist that very moment.

„I don‘t want to see, but I want my man hot and naked in my bed now“ Anders demanded, all but dragging Garrett upstairs, turning back to give Carver a little wave.

He slammed the door shut again and turned back to Fenris, who looked very much not sorry.

„So… we know that Hawke thinks I‘m hot now… so will you come here and show me what you think or what?“


	16. Cullen/Bull

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> „You found me crying on the kitchen floor in the middle of the night surrounded by a shattered jelly jar.“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> //Warnings for PTSD and Cullen going through mental hell after Kinloch. He is not in a good place in this one. Bull helps him cope.

Bull woke up because of the lack of breathing next to him. Cullen was known for being a workaholic who rarely slept, but Bull tended to sleep even less, so usually he had a sleeping Cullen next to him when he did make it into bed. A glance on the alarm clock showed that it was only three am, so Bull sat up and climbed out of the bed. There was no light in the bathroom, so this wasn‘t a case of a random mid-night bathroom break either.

He found what he was looking for once he entered the kitchen, where Cullen was curled up on the floor and – sobbing? Around him where glass splitters, and what looked like blood on first glance, but turned out to be strawberry jelly on second glance.

He was glad for the slippers he always wore around the house, some pink monstrosities that had been a gag gift from Dorian but that he loved, so he could easily step inside the room and walk over to Cullen even through the glass. Once he reached him he bent down to pick him up, and Cullen easily curled into his arms, as if he was a little baby.

He had been in a bad place recently, and Bull couldn‘t fault him for it. Hell, after worrying for Cullen for weeks while Kinloch Hold Institute was drowning in the world‘s largest terror attack so far he wasn‘t in the best shape himself either. But Cullen was clearly worse off, and he knew he had to function for him.

He cradled the smaller man against his chest and stepped over the shards again to carry him into the livingroom where he sat down on the sofa, grabbed a fluffy pink blanket (another gift from Dorian, this one a serious one though) and wrapped his boyfriend into it.

„Did you feel like a sandwich in the middle of the night, big guy? Don‘t worry, I‘ll make you one. And don‘t you fuss about the glass either, I‘ll take care of it.“ He knew that the real reason Cullen was crying, or was even getting up on all times of the night to do weird things wasn‘t a random craving that appeared without explanation, but for now it was easier to just treat it as if it were. Cullen rarely spoke ever since he got back, and even though he had the best therapists work with him progress was slow. But Bull didn‘t mind, he knew that some things needed time to heal, but that wounds healed by time were the ones that healed well and shut firmly.

He didn‘t really get a response from Cullen, just like he had expected it, so he just sat on the couch for a while longer, holding the man in his arms and gently running a hand through his curls. Only once the sobbing had died down did he get back up and walk back into the kitchen.

He sat Cullen on the counter, still wrapped in the blanket, and grabbed another jar of jelly from the cupboard. At least the shattered one had only been storebought, not the homemade kind that Cullen had loved making _before_ , and the kind that Bull loved to use in his baked goods.

He quickly fixed a sandwich, with cream cheese and a lot of jelly, like Cullen liked it, and he was delighted to see that Cullen actually took and ate it, instead of waiting unresponsively for Bull to cut it into pieces and feed it to him like it had often been the case recently. Once the sandwich was gone, Cullen seemed to nod off again, and he slumped forward against Bull‘s chest. He easily caught him and lifted him up again, carrying him back to bed like a little child.

„You go to sleep, kadan, I‘ll just clear up the kitchen“ he murmured as he tucked Cullen in, and he thought the other was asleep again until he felt a hand on his wrist, stopping him from leaving. His heart did a little funny thing in his chest when he heard Cullen murmur „Stay. Clean up tomorrow...T‘gether.“

He doubted that Cullen would be in a shape to help him clear up the next day, but it relieved him beyond words to hear him offer it anyway. It meant that he was on the road to recovery, right?

So he couldn‘t do anything but smile and nod and slide into bed where he cuddled up to Cullen and held him like a teddy bear. „Alright. We‘ll clean up tomorrow then. Sleep tight, my lion.“


	17. Garrett/Carver

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> „I just came home to you crying while watching a movie, please tell me what‘s going on.“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> //Warning for heavily implied incest in this one. Please skip it if it's not your cup of tea or even squicks you.

He hated how weak he was, he hated that he had started crying in the first place. But it was even worse that Garrett had found him like that, crying into his sleeves and wiping his snot into them as he pretended to watch that stupid romance movie on TV. Maybe he could have fooled most people, tried to tell them that he was secretly a sap who always cried over movies, but not Garrett.

Garrett knew he cried differently when it was really about the movie. So instead of making some jab at him for being such a sap, he frowned and sat down next to him.

„Please tell me what‘s going on.“ No jokes, no teasing, no trying to make light of things. As if he knew that something was going on.

„It‘s nothing“ Carver sniffled, even though he knew he wouldn‘t get through with that even as he said it.

„Nothing doesn‘t look like this, brother“ Garrett told him and picked up the blanket from the couch to wrap it around Carver‘s shoulders.

„Mother had Peaches over when I was at hers for tea… and she‘s trying to tell me how nice she‘d be. Tells me how she wishes for me to find someone all the time. That she‘d even be happy if I‘d find a nice man, that she doesn‘t want to judge...“ He heard Garrett sigh next to him, and he knew that Garrett knew just as well as him where this was going.

„I can‘t tell her, Garrett. I can‘t tell her that I already found someone. That I know who the fucking love of my life is and it‘s my own bloody brother!“

He hadn‘t realised that he‘d started crying even harder until Garrett‘s strong arms wrapped around him to hold him tight. Those strong arms he loved so much…

„You truly must be upset to call me the love of your life to my face“ he heard a raspy voice from above his head, and it told him that Garrett wasn‘t quite unaffected either.

„It‘s true though. You know I‘m a closeted romantic anyway“ he grumbled through his sniffles and earned himself a pat on the head.

„That you are. And no, you can‘t tell her, but that doesn‘t mean that you can‘t be happy… we‘ll never be able to tell anyone, but we can still have a good life together, Carver. It‘ll just be… harder.“

Carver sighed and pressed even sloer to his brother. „Yeah, harder and nastier and everyone will keep asking why we still live together and don‘t have partners and if we break up we‘ll still be brothers and it‘ll all go to shit.“

„Yes it will. Yes it will. But that doesn‘t matter to me, because in return for those troubles I get you, my very own closeted sap of a brother with the sweetest ass in all of Thedas.“

Carver grumbled and attempted to swat Garrett away, but his wrist was easily caught in his big brother‘s hand. He looked up and stared straight into those eyes that were so similar to his own and yet so different.

„Your own closeted romantic, as if you‘re not secretly the most romantic of them all“ he retorted and gave a little huff. „It was you who took us on that couple boat cruise with candle light dinner last year for our anniversary, remember?“

„Yes, I remember“ Garrett murmured, and got a faraway look in his eyes for a few moments.

„You were so handsome that day with that flowercrown in your hair...“ He still had a picture of that night as his phone background, Carver knew. He always pretended it was to annoy Carver, but Carver knew better.

„I love you too, big brother“ he murmured and leaned over to kiss him on the lips. Garrett was right. It would be a lot of trouble to be with the Champion, in more ways than one, but it would be so, so worth it.


	18. Alistair/Zevran

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> „I‘m cold. Come closer.“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> //Don't we all love it when Zevran, who has all the feelings, pretends he doesn't bc he doesn't know how to deal with them.

„I‘m cold.“ It was a soft voice, coming from behind Zevran, where he knew Alistair was sleeping. Or should be sleeping, anyway. It didn‘t sound like he currently was asleep. Why he was starting to talk in the middle of the night was beyond him though, it wasn‘t like they had been on speaking terms lately after all.

„Come closer.“ What now? What was he playing at, what was this about? Now he wanted to cuddle? As if Zevran was the type to cuddle. As if Zevran was the type to allow himself to cuddle… No. He couldn‘t. If he would allow himself that and indulge in it, it would only hurt more once the Crows caught up with him. If he opened his heart to Alistair, it would only hurt more to see him hurt. He would make himself vulnerable and he‘d put Alistair in danger. And he wanted that least of all.

He knew he was in denial, that Alistair had long since wormed his way into his stupid little heart that was supposed to be cold but had opened up immediately to the awkward, sweet warrior with the romantic streak. He knew he was weak, but he hadn‘t thought himself that weak. And he had only realised it when it had already been too late. He loved the fool, and that was why he had to shut him out before he would realise that.

But of course Alistair never knew when to stop and had pushed further, confessing his own feelings and asking about Zevran‘s own. He had panicked then, and just pushed him away. Had made some weak joke and refused to sleep with him again. Better to have a clean break now than suffer more later because he was a fool with a soft heart.

They hadn‘t spoken since, but they still shared a tent, since the spare one they had always had with them had fallen victim to the last major run-in with darkspawn they had had. Now they slept with their backs turned towards one another, and never spoke when they went to bed or got up. Zevran didn‘t even dare look at Alistair anymore, for fear of caving and going back to him, begging to be taken back.

This was his chance, he knew. Probably his only chance. His chance to push him away for good, to seal off his heart again and learn better than to be so foolish the next time. But also his chance to give in, to turn around and embrace the man he loved, pull him close and never let go again. He should stay put, ignore Alistair‘s words of flip him off with some remark, tell him to warm himself or maybe to take himself in hand to get warm.

He should do it, but he couldn‘t find the words. His heart felt painfully constricted at the thought of doing so, and he just didn‘t have it in himself to hurt Alistair that much, it seemed.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He really had such a weak, foolish heart.

They always said that those who protect someone they love fight more fiercely, so maybe he would be able to keep him safe even if… despite everything.

He swallowed, and turned around.

There was Alistair, looking at him with those puppy eyes of his, and it felt like a punch in his stomach. How he had ever thought he could resist the love he felt for this man, he didn‘t know. He moved closer, and gently wrapped the bigger man up in his arms and both their blankets.

They would need to talk in the morning, he knew. He would need to come clean about his hangups, his denial, his feelings for the man. But maybe, just for now, this would be enough. This had to be enough.

„Then let me help you keep warm, my strapping warrior.“


	19. Dorian/Bull/Cullen/Krem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> „There was a power outage and now we have to have dinner by candlelight.“

Dorian was already on his way home with copious amounts of takeaway in the bag dangling from his arm – all three of his boyfriends ate more than normal portions after all – when his phone bleeped, causing him to stop and dig it out of his pocket. As expected, it was a WhatsApp message in their quadruple chat, but not the expected „hurry up we‘re hungry and waiting“.  
Instead, there was a picture of what Dorian assumed to be their kitchen table in the dark with a bunch of lit candles on it. It was from Bull, and underneath was a message. „Power outage in the neighbourhood. Cullen‘s already excited about a candlelight dinner. Hope you brought food that‘s easy to eat in the dark.“  
He didn‘t bother replying as he was already so close to home, but he grumbled under his breath the entire way. He hated it when his conveniences were stripped away, and for some reason the electricity in their area was really unrealiable. If he was comepletely honest with himself – which he wasn‘t – he would have to admit that he secretly loved those nights, when they‘d have dinner with nothing but candles around, and then scented baths in their giant-ass tub (a true must, with Bull being the size he was and the rest of them wanting to fit in as well) with candles as well, and then those nights usually ended with them making disgustingly sweet love before falling asleep in a cuddle pile. Yes, he secretly loved those nights but that didn‘t mean he had to admit it.  
Before he could fish his keys out of his pocket upon returning home, the door opened and Krem was there, launching himself at him and kissing him as if they hadn‘t seen each other for weeks instead of a few hours.  
„Hm, extra love for the delivery guy today?“ Dorian hummed and kissed him back before handing the bags with food off to him so he could take off his shoes and go greet the tangled, snogging pile of limbs on the couch that he supposed had once been Cullen and Bull. Maybe that explained Krem‘s little outburst as well.  
„Hey lovebirds, dinner‘s ready“ he told them and was pulled into their embrace long enough to receive some exceedingly wet kisses before being let go again so they could all join Krem in the kitchen to help set out plates and distribute the food somewhat evenly.  
Somehow there were only three chairs around the table, but Dorian quickly solved that problem by sitting down in Bull‘s lap. „So, another unplanned candlelight dinner it is?“ he asked, grinning brightly at Cullen. He might deny to himself that he didn‘t like these romantic nights, but he sure wasn‘t fooling his partners.  
„Sounds like it, though I sometimes think that Cullen forcibly destroys some electricity cables at regular intervals to force us into datenights like these“ Krem teased, which only resulted in Cullen shutting him up by feeding him a huge forkful of the spicy noodles that Dorian had brought home before kissing him.  
„I didn‘t leave the house today, love, I‘m innocent“ he stated before going back to his own dinner.  
„Well, you could have paid someone“ Dorian murmured, and dutifully opened his mouth to receive the portion of dinner designed to temporarily shut him up before he too shared a kiss with Cullen. It was just so much fun to tease him about his romantic side, and luckily Cullen always took it in good humour, knowing that they all loved him for it.  
„Seriously though, someone should call the electricity company tomorrow… this happens too often to be just coincidence“ Bull murmured, and Krem nodded.  
„I have a day off tomorrow, I‘ll do it. Tell them we‘d rather have planned candlelight dinner dates than unplanned ones. I mean, imagine we‘d have been out of candles“ he grinned and dug into his food.  
Dorian gave a smile and leaned back against Bull‘s broad chest, quietly eating his own dinner as he watched the three men he loved chatting away and planning their next week. They were quite a piece of work, but somehow they did it, it worked for them and they were all in love with one another as they had been years ago when they had started finding each other. It was the perfect life, really.  
He was jerked out of his thoughts by Krem lightly kicking him under the table, and he looked at him in askance.  
„What are your thoughts drifting off to, fellow Vint?“  
Dorian smiled and reached out to take Krem‘s hand. He hated being all feelsy and emotional, but this was okay because it was their disgustingly romantic night and he knew they all knew he was just putting on an act with being unaffected by cheesy things anyway. So for now, he tossed it all out of the window and went for the straightforward and very romantic answer.  
„Just thinking about how much I love you guys, really.“


	20. Krem/Dorian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> „A thunderstorm is rolling through town and you‘re scared of lightning/thunder so I‘ll protect you.“

Dorian looked up from his book when he heard the door creak, and smiled when he saw his boyfriend slipping in. His boyfriend. He‘d never thought that he‘d ever find someone he could call that, yet here he was, in a loving relationship with another Tevinter man, with his Krem, his amatus.

Said man was closing the door behind him and then came over, still bundled in his blankets, then proceeded to take Dorian‘s book out of his hands to climb in his lap. It was now that Dorian realised he was shaking.

„What is it, my dear?“ he asked, wrapping his arms around the younger man and holding him close as Krem burrowed in his chest. His only answer was some mumbled explanation that was muffled by his chest, causing him to ask again.

„‘s lightning outside“ he understood the second time, and upon looking up he realised that yes indeed, there was a thunderstorm going on. Part of him wanted to coo and tease Krem for it, that his fearless warrior boyfriend was scared of the weather, but then he remembered a particular conversation they had had months back, about how the Magister that Krem‘s father worked for liked to use lightning and electricity magic as a punishment. Yes, it figured he‘d be scared of it then.

Maybe it was even more of a sign of trust than he‘d realised so far that Krem trusted Dorian‘s magic, didn‘t even flinch when he produced electricity magic of his own.

„Yes, there is. But it can‘t hurt you. I‘ll protect you.“ He didn‘t quite know where that came from, but it was just as well. He was never opposed to having Krem in his bed at night, even though most nights Krem was reluctant to stay still.

He stood, with Krem scooped in his arms (and he did not heave with exertion the moment he was standing, thank you very much) and carried him over to his bed. Once he‘d been lain down on the sheets Dorian started to unwrap him to get him out of that ratty soldier‘s blanket and under his own silky sheets.

What he found under the blankets made him scowl though. „You‘re still wearing that thing. Krem, you know you have to take it off last night, you just broke a rib two months ago with that behaviour...“ He indicated the binder that Krem wore and that he knew had to come off at night. At least he wasn‘t trying to bind with bandages anymore.

Krem looked to the side and gave a little shrug. „I put it back on before coming. Didn‘t want to creep you out.“

Dorian sighed and shook his head. Krem had just as many hangups about himself as Dorian had, but somehow they managed even amids all those feelings of insufficiency and self-loathing. He leaned down to press a kiss to Krem‘s forehead and then deftly undid the binder, placing it on the desk so it wouldn‘t suffer on the floor overnight.

„You know that doesn‘t creep me out, Krem. I love you just as you are, and you don‘t have to hide from me.“

He tucked his boyfriend in and slipped into bed with him, glad that he‘d been reading in his nightclothes already, and wrapped his arms around Krem‘s waist. He knew better than to touch anything higher or lower than that when Krem was in a mood.

„You‘re safe here, Krem. Safe from lightning, safe from judgement. You‘re wanted here. _I_ want you here.“ He preteneded he didn‘t notice the light sheen of tears in Krem‘s eyes, but held him a little tighter as they cuddled up together.

„I hope you never feel like you have to risk your health to please me, amatus. I like you just the way you are“ he murmured and leaned in for a kiss that was eagerly returned.

„Now, how about I tell you about that dragon we fought last week? Unless Bull already did that five times by now, of course...“


	21. Anders/Alistair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You can put your cold feet on me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warden AU.

„I‘m coooooold!“  
Alistair groaned a little and turned on his back before sitting up and blinking his eyes open. There he was, the man he‘d waited for for the past two weeks, and he was dripping wet and shaking as he peeled himself out of his soaked armour.   
„Let me help“ he murmured and climbed out of bed to help Anders strip out of his clothes. „You make it a habit to return from a mission in the middle of the night these days, love“ he murmured once they had managed to get Anders bare. Alistair quickly tugged off his nightshirt and handed it off to Anders before leading the still shivering man to the bed.  
„Let‘s get you warm first, and then we‘ll see“ he murmured. Anders would also need a bath, but the rain outside had probably washed away the worst of the gunk stuck all over him after a mission so it could wait a little bit.  
„I‘m cold, it‘ll be ages until I‘m warm!“ Anders complained, or complained as much as he was able to with his teeth chattering as if they were trying to fall out.   
„You can put your cold feet on me“ Alistair told him, and only seconds later a pair of truly icy feet was pushed between his legs as Anders snuggled close to soak up as much of Alistair‘s heat as he could.  
„At least you remembered to put on the fire this time“ he murmured, and Alistair felt himself blush. „I told you it was an accident, I didn‘t realise it had gone out, usually you always flick it back on with a swish of your wrist so I‘m not used to looking after it“ he grumbled, earning a chuckle from his beloved.   
„Spoiled little warrior, you“ he murmured, but there was no heat in it and Alistair knew he only meant it in the best ways.   
„Yeah, maybe I am… but now it‘s time to turn the spoiling to my little mage here, isn‘t it? You better prepare for a lot of spoiling, for baths and your favourite foods and all those things… and I hope you won‘t need to leave again soon, love.“  
„Yeah… I hope so too. Though the Commander seems to love dragging me around for all missions these days. I hardly ever see you anymore. Or Pounce.“  
As if on cue, the door creaked open a bit and a certain tabby kitty came in, jumping on the bed to curl up on top of his favourite human so he could nose him and assure himself that his human was still alright. Anders let out a little chuckle and wiggled around until he had one hand free of the blankets so he could pet Pounce and cuddle him as well.  
Once Pounce was sufficiently informed that his human was doing alright, he padded around on the bed until he found a nice spot to sleep, curling up there and pushing his cold nose straight into Alistair‘s neck. He jumped a little, but managed to stay calm. He was used to this by now after all.  
„Yes, you can put your cold nose on me as well, cat“ he murmured and tucked Anders‘ hand back in so he‘d get warm. „He really is yours, just as cold as you and likes to stick his limbs in my warm places.“  
Anders gave him a look, and Alistair gave an embarrassed laugh. „That sounded very wrong, didn‘t it? I didn‘t mean it like that…. Or maybe a little? Or… no, I‘m only working myself deeper into this now.“  
Anders chuckled and leaned up to give Alistair‘s nose a kiss with his still icy lips. „You are. And that‘s part of why I love you so much.“


	22. Cullen/Cassandra

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Can we just watch a movie and fall asleep on the couch?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> //They are Just Friends (tm).

„Can we just watch a movie and fall asleep on the couch?“ They were meant to go out today, he knew, Leliana and Josie had been pushing them all week, reminding them that tonight was a night out. But Cullen just really didn‘t feel like it, and he could read in Cassandra‘s face that she was thinking the same. Neither of them often felt like going out, so they often stayed in together to the extend that people started to tease them about being a couple, trying to secret their relationship away from them.

They were nothing of the sort, of course, they were just roommates. And best friends. Who spent most of their time together. Who had also kissed that one time when they had been drunk. Really, they were just friends.

And if Cullen occasionally dreamed of kissing Cassandra‘s scar on her cheek and running his fingers through her hair, or seeing her half undressed in other contexts than her wandering into the bathroom half-asleep in the morning, it was no one‘s business. Just like no one had to know that whenever Cullen thought about having children, he imagined Cassandra as their mother. Or that he knew he‘d never marry...unless it was to Cassandra. Or that he never got a date out of his online dating attempts because he was the one who turned all his dates down. He knew he wouldn‘t want anything with them anyway, not as long as Cassandra was around.

He was sitting across the table from her now, watching her throw a glance over her shoulder to the crappy old TV in the corner, and then a guilty look to the door, as if Leliana would turn up and bully them outside if they decided to stay in anyway. But then she gave a shrug and nodded.

„Let‘s just do that, yes.“ She was a no-nonsense person, and Cullen loved her for it. She‘d defend their decision to stay in and fight everyone who would dare to give them shit for it, where Cullen would just have tried to hide for a week (or three) until he dared to face their other friends again. He was just too damn lucky to have her.

Good thing they were just friends, really.

Just a little while later, they were curled up on the couch under a blanket, snuggled together and watching some old movie that they both knew by heart already. They didn‘t speak, just watched entranced as if it was the first time, at least until Cullen slowly dropped his head on Cassandra‘s shoulder and felt her arm coming up around him.

The blanket around him was tugged a little higher and he snuggled closer even as his eyes started to drift shut. Cassandra really was the best. He couldn‘t wish for a better girlfr-- roommate, really.

„You‘re my best friend“, he murmured into the music of the credits, and in return got a dry little chuckle.

He was already drifting off again before the answer came, but what he heard had him wide awake again.

„You know, Cullen, I love you too.“


	23. Fenris/Dorian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Can I kiss you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> //Canon-style memory loss and slavery mention in this one.

„Can I kiss you?“

The slave, Leto, looked up at Dorian, for just the fraction of a second, before his eyes fell down again and then shifted sideways, landing on a woman that Dorian assumed was his mother, based on the similarity. He swallowed visibly then and inclined his head.

„If Sir wishes to….“ Dorian assumed that was a code for No, or for Mother Does Not Approve, or for Master Does Not Approve, and he gave a little sigh. He couldn‘t expect an honest answer from a slave anyway, but he also didn‘t want to force him. It wasn‘t Leto‘s fault that some Altus brat had gone and fallen for him, after all.

…….

„Can I kiss you?“

„Master does not allow others to touch his pet.“ Fenris looked him straight in the eye, so much more confident than he had been just a few months ago, yet there was no recognition in his face. All those nights of gentle flirting, of stealing moments together, of holding hands…. All gone.

Dorian simply nodded and turned away with a sigh. He didn‘t know if Leto had wanted any of their moments together anyway or if he had thought it necessary to obey Dorian‘s wishes. It didn‘t matter anyway, as it seemed like there wouldn‘t be a chance for him to find out what Leto‘s feelings had been anymore. It was just too late.

………

„Can I kiss you?“

„No. Get away from me, Mage!“

Dorian staggered back as if hit, but he wasn‘t really surprised. Just because Fenris was free now, just because they were both outside of Tevinter, didn‘t mean that Fenris wanted to give him a chance. Or that he even knew him anymore. Judging by those cold eyes staring at him, he at least wasn‘t impressed by what he remembered. If he remembered at all.

Once more, he nodded and swallowed down the emotions rising in him. Stupid, foolish man he was, giving his heart away to an elven slave who barely knew him, and who now didn‘t remember him. He pulled a few sovereigns from his pocket and placed it down in front of the elf.

„Let me at least give you the means to get some good armour or a sword then“ he murmured, and almost ran from the tavern before Fenris could reject his gift.

…….

„Can I kiss you?“

„Mage, you are drunk.“

Of course he was drunk, Fenris had been in Skyhold for over a week now, so close, his presence was almost tangible, and yet so far away. He hadn‘t spoken to Dorian yet, or given any other sign that he recognised him. Maybe he didn‘t. He had heard that he had finally gone and killed Danarius years before, and he wanted to give his congratulations.

But it would be weird, wouldn‘t it, to reveal that he knew exactly who was sitting in front of him there, that he had paid enough attention to him to know what had happened to him? At least they wouldn‘t know what he had been drinking more and more, trying to drown the rumors of Fenris being with the Champion of Kirkwall. Because if he were, he would be lost. There wouldn‘t be that stupid fleck of hope in his chest anymore, and he wouldn‘t know what to do anymore.

„That I am, yes… would you like to help me find my bed?“

Somehow, he didn‘t even mind the bloody nose that got him.

……..

„Can I kiss you?“

They were standing on the battlements, staring off into the mountains, their hands entwined just the way they had done it back when there hadn‘t been raw lyrium in that soft skin. He felt his hand being squeezed and looked up, straight into those emerald eyes that he had fallen in love with forever ago, and now they were looking back at him with the same expression that he imagined were in his own eyes.

„You know“ he murmured and raised Fenris‘ knuckles to his lips.

„I believe that is my line.“

That did not, however, stop him from leaning in and receiving what he had dreamed of since the day he turned fifteen. And somehow, in that moment, he knew true magic.


	24. Anders/M!Hawke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I have never felt this way about anyone."

„You know… I don‘t think I‘ve ever felt this way about anyone before.“

Anders blinked a little and rolled to his side, watching the man beside him. „Never?“ He reached out to play with Hawke‘s chest hair and gave him a little smile.

„I‘m not sure if I should be insanely flattered right now or if that‘s just sad. I guess I‘m happy though, that you feel the way you do for me.“

He felt himself being pulled closer, and snuggled into Hawke‘s chest with a happy sigh. He didn‘t want to think about it right then, but he had to think about how he had actually felt that way before, how he had been through the butterflies in his stomach, the pining, the little stolen kisses, the almost desperate fucking before.

Karl had been wonderful, and he was sure that he would still be with him if the circumstances had been different. Karl had been the love of his life at that point, and he still had that special place in Anders‘ heart. But he also knew that he needed to move on, that he could keep Karl close in his heart and still love Hawke with all he had. He smiled a little to himself when he realised that somewhere along the way, being with Hawke had stopped feeling like a betrayal. Now it felt just right. Perfect, even.

„You have, haven‘t you? I know you‘ve…. Been with people before.“

Hawke sounded so insecure then, and it was so unlike the other man that Anders felt it like a little painful tug in his chest.

He looked up at Hawke then and shook his head.

„I‘ve never been with anyone like this before. So… open, and clear. I‘ve never held hands before you. I never kissed outside of the complete darkness. I never had sex naked. I‘ve never spent the night.“

He pushed himself up on his elbows and smiled at Hawke. There were many things he hadn‘t done before Hawke, and he loved it that those were things that he only shared with his bearded warrior. Somehow it felt right, to have some things that no one had ever given him before, that hadn‘t been allowed before, and to share them only with the man he intended to spend his life with.

„I‘ve never told anyone I love them.“

Now, this one did hurt a bit. Karl had deserved better, had deserved to be loved and cherished. It was probably his biggest regret, that he‘d never told him. Because he had loved the man, he had loved him so much.

Hawke looked at him strangely, probably trying to figure out if Anders needed some comforting or if he would be alright again on his own. Anders gave him a smile, blinking to fight back tears, and then it occured to him that he had never told Hawke about his feelings either. He always implied them, but never actually spoke about them.

He reached out and gently lifted Hawke‘s head off the pillow, leaning down to meet him in a soft kiss.

„I love you, Garrett Hawke. I love you so much, and being with you… I‘ve been in love before, but you make me feel…. Well, like I‘ve never felt before."


	25. Cullen/Krem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I'll share the blankets with you."

He didn‘t know how they had done it, but some of the women had managed to take blankets along with them from Haven, and were now handing them out. Cullen, as the Commander of the Inquisition Forces, got offered one more than once, and when he declined, he found them still pushed at him because „we can‘t afford to have you freeze, Commander.“  
The first blanket, he passed off to a pregnant woman. The second went to a freezing child with one bare foot. The third went around an old man‘s shoulders, even though it was unlikely he‘d even see the next day. The last blanket shoved at him ended up covering Cassandra, who had finally succumbed to exhaustion and was asleep with her head pillowed in Leliana‘s lap. Cullen was sure she‘d die of mortification were she still awake.   
Now it was late at night, and the fires were losing their battle against the wind and the snow, and Cullen‘s cloak was too damp to still provide much shelter against the cold. Maybe he should have kept the blanket he gave to that old man, he thought, but scolded himself for thinking so in the same moment.  
„Commander.“   
He looked up blearily, and saw the second in command of the Bull‘s Chargers coming his way. He hadn‘t spoken to the man much, but struggled his way into a standing position to be ready to do whatever he wanted from him. It must be important, to make him come to Cullen in the middle of the night.   
„Chief said something about you freezing your balls off so I thought I‘d come check“, he said and simply pushed Cullen back down. His legs must have been really frozen, for he simply fell back down without any kind of resistance. He confusedly stared at the soldier as he was pushed into a lying position, and then he felt some tugging about on his person, and started frowning.  
Somewhere in his brain he realised he must have gotten really cold, to be so out of it, and he realised that the man was talking, but he didn‘t hear anything he was being told.  
Only once they were somehow spooned together, with a warm blanket wrapped around both of them did his brain catch up with something that Aclassi had said.  
„I‘ll share the blankets with you.“  
It was months later, and the embarrassing incident on their way to Skyhold could have been almost forgotten, if it hadn‘t been for Krem showing up in his office again all the time. First to allegedly check on him, later to deliver reports of some of the Chargers‘ missions, and to ask him to come spar with them in the mornings. Cullen didn‘t quite know what to make of it, but he knew that everytime he spoke to the man he remembered that embarrassing night where he had almost frozen to his death without even noticing.  
That night where he had slept with a warm body pressed to him for the first time in over a decade, and he just couldn‘t forget how wonderful it had felt. Luckily he hadn‘t been in any state to have embarrassing reactions back then, but his body more than made up for it these days, it seemed.

„Come to share the blankets with me?“  
Cullen flushed a little, but mostly managed to keep it down and shook his head. „No, Bull told me you were drinking yourself under the table. Don‘t you think it‘s been enough?“  
He tried not to think about the innuendo too much, he wouldn‘t take advantage of a drunk man, and he didn‘t know if Krem was even interested in him.  
„‘Course not. Who‘d wanna fuck a freak anyway“ he grumbled, dropping his tankard as Cullen tried to carefully lead him out of the tavern without accidents.  
„You‘re not a freak, Krem“ he insisted, though he had no idea what the other man was even talking about.  
A few days later, he knew it. Krem was sitting on his desk in his office, valiantly pretending not to cry as he told Cullen about himself, and about the rejection from a tavern wench that had brought on his heavy bout of drinking a few nights prior. Cullen stood from his chair with a shrug and patted Krem on the shoulder awkwardly.  
„I stand by what I said. You‘re not a freak, Krem. Just a bit different. Different is good, it would be boring if we were all the same.“ He walked over to grab a blanket that he then wrapped around the younger man‘s shoulders.  
„And since you‘re not drunk anymore, I‘ll share my blankets with you now.“  
It became a thing between them, a little inside joke, and they would always bring each other blankets everywhere, to share with one another, and sometimes that left them wrapped up in two blankets and snuggled close together, watching the fireplace and talking into the early hours of the morning.   
When they finally realised that what was between them was more than friendship and they carefully moved on to a slow courtship, the blankets became more elaborate and ornamental, and soon both of them sported a sizable collection of soft, beautiful, warm blankets in their room. But the highlight of it all was when one night Cullen climbed up the ladder to his loft and found Krem there – naked as the day he was born – snuggled in the Commander‘s bed and holding up one corner of the blanket.  
„I think I‘m ready to do some blanket sharing the old fashioned way now“ he grinned and cocked his finger for Cullen to come closer. He did, and carefully started undoing his armour while fighting down a blush. They‘d been kissing and cuddling and making out and had even done some rutting together in a dark corner, but he had no idea if Krem was ready for the next step or if he just wanted to literally sleep together under the same blanket. But that wouldn‘t be new, would it? Only it would be the first time doing so deliberately and not out of some necessity.  
When he turned around and looked at Krem‘s smirk and the….was that a strapon??-- in his hand though, there was no doubt anymore as to what he was referring to.  
„So, Commander… ready to share the blankets with me?“


	26. Anders/Fenris

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "People are jerks, but not you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> //My ultimate OTP, and the drabble I like least out of the whole challenge. Shit happens, apparently.

Fenris looked up from where he was polishing his sword as he heard the front door fall closed much more loudly than usual, and then Anders was stomping up the stairway and into their room, only to drop into bed fully clothed, with his face buried in a pillow – Fenris‘ pillow.  
„Bad day?“ he asked and put his weapon aside to walk over to his very own mage, sitting next to him on the edge of the bed.  
„People are such jerks!“ Anders exclaimed, hitting the mattress for extra effect. Fenris simply scooted away a bit and then took one of the mage‘s legs and pulled it into his lap to start unlacing the boot. He took immense pleasure in doing all those little things to Anders out of love that he had been forced to do for Danarius, and he rarely left out a chance to help undress his mage.   
He knew that Anders had been at the Rose today, and those days rarely went well. Now that he had Fenris to look after him Anders didn‘t look as ragged anymore, and he actually had some flesh on his bones these days, which only meant that he was getting more and more proposals from the patrons of the Rose.   
Even the regulars, apparently, even though those should know that he was only the Healer and didn‘t work there, and that he was involved with an easily irritable elf who would make everyone regret laying a hand on his mage.  
He also knew that it was no use asking him about it though, and that Anders would just start talking about it in his own time. Sometimes that was straight away, sometimes it took days for him to talk about what had upset him. But it was no use pushing him, if he didn‘t want to talk about it, he wouldn‘t.  
So Fenris waited and took off Anders‘ other boot and started massaging his legs and feet.   
Today was one of the fast days, it seemed, for Anders soon started talking about patrons that hadn‘t realised that no meant no and that hadn‘t backed off even with the Madame coming over to tell him that Anders‘ wasn‘t one of the employees.   
„He just said that it‘d be even better then if he didn‘t have to pay for me, and he could just have my… my whore ass for free.“ He had his face still hidden in the pillow, but Fenris knew that he must be close to tears, if not crying already.  
„No one can have you against your will, Anders, paid or not, and you are not a whore, you know that. You‘re my mage, and I will keep you safe.“  
He half hoped Anders would tell him just who had treated him like that, but he also knew that if he did they would find the man with at least half his teeth removed, if not his heart, in some alley the next day, and Anders always told him that he didn‘t want Fenris to go around hurting people on his behalf.  
Fenris thought that it was very just to go around hurting people on his beloved mage‘s behalf. Maybe that was a thing he should discuss with Justice at some point.   
„Maybe I should come with you next time. They will know better than to approach you if you are with me.“  
Anders slowly turned and blinked up at Fenris, his eyes clearly read and still brimming with unshed tears. „You know you don‘t have to be my bodyguard.“  
„I know. But I want to protect you from all the jerks“ he admitted and leaned down to lay a kiss on his mage‘s lips.   
„Because people are jerks, but not you.“  
That got him a little smile and then Anders tugged him down for another kiss.  
„You‘re right. People are jerks, but not you.“


	27. Anders/Nathaniel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I'd like it if you stayed."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> //Anders is pretty freshly out of solitary in this one and not in a good place. He doesn't realise it though and Nate makes it all better.

They had been doing their whatever they were doing for a while now, and it always went the same. Nathaniel would start playing with his feet under the table, and they would bump into one another and share a meaningful look. Anders would finish dinner early then, claiming he still had to look for Pounce or check the infirmary or something, and would go prepare.

When he arrived at Nathaniel‘s room later, he would already be fully prepared, stretched out, lubed up, and with no smalls in sight. He would knock three times and then let himself in, and the fun would begin.

Even without Nathaniel having to work him open first they usually went on it for quite a while, with them being Wardens and all that. But when after the third or fifth or whatever round they started to feel tired after all, Anders would roll out of bed and grab his robe to put it back on, and he‘d go back to his room to wash and sleep.

That was how it always went. Every single time without fail. Until tonight.

„I think… I‘d like it if you stayed.“

„Stay?“ Anders was flabbergasted, staring at Nathaniel with his robe in his hand and Nate‘s seed dripping down his thighs.

Staying? But what if someone caught them? What if Anders snored or moved too much in his sleep? What if something happened? Staying was bad, when Templars took the mages to have a go with them they stayed the night, and they all knew that it was a bad thing. Staying was never an option. Kissing was never an option. Preparing or cleaning up was never an option. No, just a quick shag, the bare necessities. Feelings weren‘t an option either.

Nathaniel was sitting up in bed now, looking concerned even through his usual grumpy mask.

„Is there something wrong with staying?“

If Anders didn‘t know better, he‘d say that Nathaniel somehow sounded hurt. Like he actually wanted Anders to stay. What would he do then, it wasn‘t like they could go at it again right now.

„I‘m just… dirty“ he murmured, using the first excuse that came to his mind. At the same moment, he dismissed it again as his eyes fell on the bowl with water and a clean rag in the corner. He already knew that Nathaniel was going to say.

„You can clean up here as well.“ He felt a hand on his wrist, and there was Nathaniel, naked, gently tugging to lead him back to the bed. He sat, suddenly feeling heavy. He still didn‘t know what this was, but he didn‘t want to go. He always felt so empty after he left, and his own bed was so cold.

„What do you want to do then?“ He asked. If it turned out to be something weird he could still leave. He didn‘t want to leave with bruises and cuts the next day… but Nathaniel wasn‘t a Templar, and this wasn‘t a Circle. So maybe things would be different here?

„Get us both clean… and then snuggle and sleep?“

„Snuggle?“ Anders frowned a bit and looked down to where Nathaniel was kneeling before him and wiping at his thighs.

„What is that?“

He only realised a few moments later that Nathaniel had stopped wiping him down and was just staring at him. „You… don‘t know what snuggling is? Cuddling? Hugging?“

Anders frowned a little and gave a little shrug. „No… does it hurt?“ It didn‘t sound like it would hurt, but one could never know.

Nathaniel looked at him with a very strange look and then gently maneuvred a rather limp Anders to turn around so he could clean up his backside as well.

„It doesn‘t hurt. It feels really good. It‘s… it‘s as good as sex, just… on a different level? I… I want to show you. Will you let me show you?“

Anders turned his head to look at Nathaniel over his shoulder, and he saw tears standing in the other‘s eyes. He didn‘t know why, but he didn‘t want the other to be sad, so he nodded.

A few moments later, he was cleaned and dressed in one of Nathaniel‘s nightshirts and tucked into bed, and the archer joined him little later.

„So what now?“ Anders asked, staring at the ceiling. What if this snuggling was what left the bruises and cuts… He wanted to trust Nathaniel, but he knew that he could trust his friends, not the people he slept with. He wanted to be friends with Nathaniel, but he slept with him so that was too risky.

„Now just relax, I won‘t hurt you“ Nathaniel said, and then he was moving closer, as if he was going to undress Anders again, only he simply placed his arms around the mage and rested his head on Anders‘ shoulder.

„Wrap your arms around me as well?“

Anders took a few deep breaths to relax himself, but then complied. And somehow… Somehow it felt really good. Comfortable. Warm. Safe. It was weird, really. Touch was not allowed, and since all touch was forbidden only the bare necessities were being performed. Just a quick in an out, no holding one another, no kissing.

Maybe it was forbidden because it was this wonderful?

Nathaniel said something, but he didn‘t quite get what he said, he just pressed his nose into Nathaniel‘s chest and tightened his arms around him as if he would disappear if he let go of him.

And then, somehow, he was crying and he didn‘t even know why, and he sobbed something about forbidden touches and no kisses and rooms with no light in them and Templars that made mages have bruises and cuts and cold beds and being alone, and he thought he heard Nathaniel say that it was over now and that he would be warm now and safe and that he could be with him and that touch was good and really, did he not know that the rules were different, that it just wasn‘t like that? That in Anders‘ reality, all those things were set in stone and they just couldn‘t be changed?

Or maybe they could… Nathaniel‘s touch didn‘t feel forbidden at all, or bad, and there was a candle burning, and the bed was warm and it was oddly soothing to have someone breathe into his ear and his ass felt better and cleaner than when he did it himself, and his feet weren‘t cold from walking through the cold corridors alone and Nate told him that even if they were discovered it would be okay and that things were different now and somehow he almost wanted to believe him.

Almost. Because it was too true to be good.

Or maybe, he thought as he drifted off into the most comfortable sleep he had ever had, maybe there were somethings that were not too good to be true. Even for mages.


	28. Merrill/Carver

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I don't think anyone could ever be as lovely as you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> //grab a toothbrush, there be toothrotting fluff here!

Sometimes Carver thought that his life couldn‘t get any better. Like just now, when he was sitting on the Wounded Coast, away from his brother and his ragtag band for a day, with the most lovely person he knew right beside him. He threw a shy glance at her, and Merrill looked right back at him and gave him one of her lovely smiles that always made his insides turn to goo.

If Anders knew about that he‘d probably blame it on blood magic, but Carver knew that it was something else. He was hopelessly in love with the Dalish elf, that was what it was. He had been trying to court Merrill for a while now, and she seemed open enough to it, even though he wasn‘t sure that she really got his intentions already. But he also didn‘t want to be too pushy…

At least he had managed to take her on a date now. Nothing fancy, but they were sitting on the beach on a blanket and were enjoying a peaceful afternoon (after much grumbling about how he should be careful around her, Fenris had agreed to make sure that no group of bandits, Vashoths, wolves, spiders or other vermin made it to their little bay, and Carver knew he owed him a few bottles of that fancy wine he liked now. It was worth it though.

Merrill seemed very busy, intensely focused on her lap where she had a bunch of flowers that she was slowly weaving into a wreath with her clever, nimble fingers.

„It is a beautiful day, is it not?“

„It is“ Carver agreed, even though there were heavy rainclouds hanging at the horizon. Maybe they wouldn‘t drift into their direction. And even if they did, it wouldn‘t matter much. As long as Merrill wouldn‘t mind, and he knew that she wouldn‘t.“

„You know… I don‘t think I‘ve ever met anyone as lovely as you“, he murmured, then blushed bright red and turned away to rub at the back of his neck. Why was he always so clumsy around her, damn?

He heard a little giggle next to her, and then something touched his head. He felt around with his hand and realised that it was the wreath – the flower crown – that Merrill had made earlier.

„I think you‘re wrong“ she stated and took his face in her tiny hands, making him look at her.

„You‘ve met yourself, and you‘re clearly the most lovely person“ she stated, and Carver momentarily worried about whether it was possible to pass out from blushing too much.

„You… think so?“ he asked, his heart beating frantically. She liked him? She thought he was lovely? She would even give him a flowercrown?

„Of course I do“ she replied and then leaned in to press her lips against Carver‘s in a short, clumsy kiss.

„This is how you show it, right? That you like someone?“

Now she seemed to be at odds, and Carver quickly pulled her back in to return her kiss, albeit with maybe a little more force.

„Maker, never change“ he murmured as he pulled her close against him, and she got comfortable in his lap with a shy little giggle.

„I wasn‘t planning on it, you know. I think I like myself the way I am. Even if not everyone sees it like that...“

She sounded sad then, and he knew that she was thinking about some of the others of their companions that only saw her as a silly foolish girl with no idea of how life worked. But he knew better, and he leaned forward to give her kiss a cheek.

„Not everyone may see just yet, but you‘re wonderful the way you are, Merrill. Truly wonderful, and smart, and kind, and beautiful, and openhearted, and please, never change. You arelly are the most lovely person I‘ve ever met…. Even including myself, if you insist.“


	29. Dorian/Iron Bull

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Let's get to know each other over dinner."

The message had been staring at him for several hours already, and he still didn‘t know how to reply to it. Get to know each other over dinner… It was just so _unlikely_. They had met on Tinder, and Tinder was for hooking up, for quick dirty shags and one night stands, not for _getting to know each other over dinner_. Getting to know each other over dinner was what he wanted, but could never have. So he settled for what he wanted less but could have, which were empty, meaningless nights with a stranger that he barely knew enough to know that he was clean.

He didn‘t know who this guy was – one of the things of online hookups that could be an advantage or a disadvantage both – so he didn‘t know which way to take it. Did he really mean to take Dorian out for dinner, to get to know him, maybe bring him home afterwards and give him a goodnight kiss? Or was it supposed to be ordering some takeaway and then falling into bed before the food even arrived? How should he know which of the two it was, and how could he try and find it out without completely embarrassing himself? It just wouldn‘t do to expect too much, but he also didn‘t want to ruin Iron_Horn‘s expectations in case he really wanted a nice dinner. Or maybe it was meant to be like with one of those fancy escorts? A nice dinner, a hotel room, and then shagging?

He almost tore out his hair as he opened his phone again and looked at the message again. As if it would be different this time.

It wasn‘t different, but there was another message.

_Iron_Horn: Or not, if that‘s too forward to you? Sorry, didn‘t mean to push._

That sounded… almost disappointed? Well, the guy could see that Dorian was online, but he didn‘t see that he‘d been poring over the message for hours.

What if he had ruined it now? Maybe the guy thought he wasn‘t interested now, or just wanted a quick fuck?

He was probably the only guy who did not want just a quick fuck from someone on Tinder, but maybe there was a bit of hope…?

He picked up his phone and swallowed, then replied before his panic could hit any harder.

_MagicalMoustache: Not too forward at all :)What did you have in mind?_

It turned out to be a rather fancy Tevinter place that Iron_Horn wanted to meet up in, and Dorian was impressed. It was an expensive place, and even if the evening would likely end in disappointments at least he‘d get to enjoy a nice dinner beforehand. So he did his best, got out a nice suit and spent even more time than usual prepping his hair and applying his makeup. He wanted to be on his very best at least. It wouldn‘t do to let down the other man‘s expectations, after all.

Bull, as it turned out, was a qunari, and was sporting rather impressive horns. Well, that certainly explained his screen name. He was stared at a bit when they entered the place – qunari weren‘t exactly known to be friendly towards Tevinter, after all, but it turned out he had reserved a table for them in a little booth in a corner where they were all by themselves.

Dorian was more than impressed. This guy was nice, open, friendly, went to dinner with him, and hadn‘t once made a hint towards them meeting over a hook up site. On the other hand, he inquired about Dorian‘s day, his work, listened to him rant about his colleagues, then told him about his group of friends that were likely to ask holes into him later to ask how his date went.

_Date._

They were on a _date._

Dorian had never been on a date before. He started feeling faint again, and could feel his hands start shaking. This was what he had always wanted. But what if he messed up now? If he didn‘t behave properly? Was he doing the right things? He knew his way around a hookup, but an actual date? He swallowed and quickly filled his mouth with another bite of the food.

„You okay there, big guy?“

He looked up, and Bull was somehow still smiling at him, and reaching out to take his hand _on top of the table_ and suddenly it was all a bit much and Dorian had to pull back, to sit back, get some distance between them.

He was messing this up, he was messing it all up, and he didn‘t even have an idea how to fix it!

Bull took him home without complaints while Dorian was busy trying to not panic in the car, and then Bull brought him to the door and did not give him a goodnight kiss, and maybe he should invite him inside now? Get that fuck out of the way and then they could go their separate ways again?

But no, Bull wished him a goodnight and pulled him into a brief hug and then he was gone. Gone for good, probably. No one wanted to go out with such a jittery guy like himself. Why did he have to start panicking over fucking holding hands of all things?!

When he came out of the shower later that evening, ready for bed, there was a message waiting for him.

_Iron_Horn: I hope that wasn‘t too much for you? I enjoyed your company, and our evening. But if you don‘t share that sentiment I won‘t ask for a repeat._

This time, it only took Dorian seconds to answer.

_MagicMoustache: If I say yes to a repeat, do I get a goodnight kiss next time?_


	30. Alistair/Duncan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I've never seen such gorgeous eyes before."

Alistair was still staring at the new Warden, or at least the space she had been occupying, by the time Duncan came back and, upon seeing that they were alone, placed an arm around Alistair‘s shoulder and dropped a little kiss on his head. Alistair smiled at him and leaned against him, sighing contently as he let himself relax into that strong, secure chest.  
„I‘ve never seen such gorgeous eyes before“ he murmured, and from somewhere above his head there was an agreeing hum from Duncan. „They‘re gorgeous, yes. I wonder if she‘s always had them like this or if something happened. They are so...strong, and so intense. And it‘s almost as if they shine on their own.“  
„Maybe it‘s because she‘s an elf?“ Alistair ventured and turned his head so he could look up at Duncan, even though he only saw his chin and an ear from the angle he was looking up.   
„Maybe. Maybe they‘ll have to have eyes like that, to see better in the dark in the woods or something? But they are gorgeous, and I haven‘t seen them like that on other elves either… maybe it‘s really just something she has.“  
„Do you think she‘ll do it? Go through the Joining, I mean? It‘d be so sad for her to die now...“  
„It‘s sad for all the recruits who die, Alistair“ Duncan murmured, and then there were fingers on his chin, guiding his head up so Duncan could gently kiss him on the lips.  
„I‘m glad that you made it through, my dear“ he said, and Alistair couldn‘t help but to smile and slump against him. „I‘m glad I made it as well. My life is so much better now.“  
He finally had a home now, and someone who cared about him. Cared about him more than had seemed possible at first. They had talked about it, what they felt for one another, and Alistair just knew that he felt incredibly safe with Duncan, and loved being in his arms, feeling his lips upon his own. They slept curled together each night, but Alistair had never had the urge to get naked, or go further in their relationship yet. Duncan didn‘t seem to mind, and Alistair just loved him all the more for it that he was willing to take things slow.   
„She really has gorgeous eyes though. I wonder if she likes cheese?“  
Predictably, that got a chuckle out of Duncan and a little poke in his side. „You could go ask her tomorrow, for instance? I‘m sure you can steal and extra chunk of cheese from the cook and offer it to her, see what she says? She needs to eat plenty anyway, as long as she hasn‘t undergone the Joining she‘s still battling the Blight harder than any of us is… We‘ll need to send them out tomorrow straight away, for them to collect the vials. You‘ll go with them, won‘t you?“  
Duncan knew that Alistair didn‘t like venturing out into the Wilds with only some scared recruits, but they both knew that it didn‘t really matter. Alistair was a junior Warden, and thus more expendable, and it was a junior Warden‘s job to look after the recruits and make sure they were well cared for until their Joining. So of course, there was only one possible answer.  
„Only if you give me a kiss for each recruit. Before and after.“  
He really loved the sound of Duncan‘s chuckle and quiet laughter, he‘d do anything to hear it all the time.  
„Two kisses, if you bring them back healthy and whole and with the vials…. Maybe even three.“  
„You spoil me, Duncan“ he murmured, but quickly leaned up to start collecting his kisses for before. Or his goodnight kisses. Or his Alistair-I-like-you kisses. Or his you-did-well-today kisses. Or his just-because kisses. He didn‘t care, really, as long as there were plenty of them. There were some things you could never have enough of, and cheese and kisses certainly were among them.


	31. Anders/Sebastian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> „I love you a lot, but please stop trying to cook me dinner, you suck"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> //I actually think Sebastian would be a decent, or even a good cook. But it seemed more logical to have him be the one who can't cook instead of Anders who has to fend for himself a lot. So.... Sorry Sebastian^^;

When Anders came back into their little home in Lowtown, he already knew what had happened the moment he entered the front room. The stench of burned food was very recognisable after all, and eerily common in their home.  
Sebastian was – unsurprisingly- hovering near the fireplace, staring forlornly down into the big kettle hanging over it. Anders didn‘t have to have a look to know that that was exactly where the stench was coming from.   
„Love“ he murmured and leaned his staff against the wall before walking over to Sebastian and wrapping him in his arms. „You did it again.“  
„I just… want to make you happy“ Sebastian admitted, and he looked so down that Anders took the time to kiss him gently on the cheek before he took the kettle and placed it outside on the street to cool off and keep bandits and other rot away for a while. No one wanted to be near when Sebastian had been cooking again.  
„Love“ he said again when he had entered the room again, and took Sebastian by the hand.  
„I love you a lot, you know that, right?“  
„And I love you!“ He was quick to reply, looking at Anders with his big blue eyes that the mage adored so much.   
„I know. We love each other dearly, so we can be honest with one another, right?“  
This time Sebastian looked a bit more hesitant, but he still nodded and then waited for whatever Anders had to say.   
„So… I know you only want to make me happy and want to do something nice for me, but I think we‘ve all learned that cooking is not one of your great talents so… maybe stop trying to cook me dinner, love? You know I don‘t mind doing it, I like cooking, and I like eating edible food. There are also lots of stands on the market, you could go and buy some food with that money from the donations you insist I keep.“  
Sebastian was looking down now, hands folded neatly in his lap, and Anders reached out to take them between his own.  
„I love you, Sebastian. With all my heart, and every little piece of you, all right? I don‘t mean to hurt you.“  
There was a sigh from the chantry brother and he leaned in to rest his head on Anders‘ shoulder. „I don‘t know why it never works, really. I just want to learn it, so I can make something nice for you when you come home from a day in the clinic. I even asked Orana already, but it never really works. I don‘t know, there must be some kind of magic to it after all.“  
There wasn‘t, but Anders didn‘t quite dare to mention it right then. He just wanted his Sebastian to be happy, just like Sebastian wanted him to be happy.  
„Okay so… what do you think of… me cooking us dinner now, but you can do the chopping? That way you can help, I won‘t do it all alone and we‘ll get something edible in the end?“  
Sebastian still seemed a bit off, but he nodded, and soon they were caught up in talking about their day and the world in general while Sebastian was busy chopping all the ingredients so Anders could work them into their dinner – completely without magic – and then they were curled up in front of the fireplace, leaning against each other as they ate their dinner.  
„Maybe you are right, Anders. Maybe I should not try and make dinner on my own again. It will just upset both of us, and it is much more fun to do it together with you“, Sebastian remarked, and Anders greeted that decision with a nice, deep kiss that left the Chantry brother flushed and breathless and his eyes wide as he panted.  
Yes, he decided, this was a very good evening. And if he was a little lucky, it would get even better still.


	32. Anders/Bull

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Your kid before five in the morning."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> //Kid!Fic!!!!!

Anders groaned when he woke up to the all too familiar wailing of his daughter in the next room, and a glance with a half-open eye out of the window showed him that it was still deep into the night, no time for any decent person to be up yet. Babies, of course, had never been known for being a decent person.  
„You go get her“ he grumbled and kicked the grey, sleeping mass beside him, but only got a grunt as a reply.  
„Bull, your daughter is hungry, go feed her!“  
„Your kid before five in the morning“ Was the only reply he got, and he frustratedly dropped his head back into his pillow.   
„Your kid before five in the morning“ he gave back, but Bull didn‘t seem very moved by it.   
Anders knew that it was his turn, that Bull had gotten up both times that night that little Jess had been hungry or otherwise upset, but Anders had still woken up with him and hadn‘t gotten much more than maybe an extra few minutes of sleep.  
But he knew it wasn‘t fair, so he pulled himself out of bed and padded over to the crib in the adjoining room and gently lifted their baby up. Sera had called her a freckled monster when she had first seen her, and somehow she wasn‘t even far off. Anders thought she was the cutest baby in the entire world. She had managed to enchant Blackwall, Cassandra, Vivienne and Dorian in all one day so she really had to be the cutest baby in the entire world.  
He fixed their little wailing bundle a bottle and then crawled back into bed with her, gently touching the bottle to her lip. Jess, however, seemed very uninterested in drinking and more interested in simply snuggling between both of her fathers and falling asleep again with a big yawn.   
That, of course, left less space for Anders to sleep, but that was a compromise he was willing to accept. He curled up around the little baby, and after lots of rustling on the other side of the bed, Bull had done the same, facing Anders now, with their daughter snuggled in between their chests.  
„Maybe she‘s our baby after all“ Bull whispered and took the bottle from Anders‘ hand to place it on the nightstand on his side. „She sleeps best when in bed with both of us.“  
„She does“, Anders whispered back, „but that also prevents us from doing anything… couple-y.“  
As if they had done anything other in bed than sleep any chance they got for the past months.   
„I‘ll show you something couple-y“ Bull smirked and leaned over to capture Anders‘ lips in a deep kiss, causing Anders to gasp happily and Jess to stir and whimper.  
They quickly pulled apart again and Anders soothed their darling, stroking her head and starting to sing her a lullaby. And soon, they were all cuddled up again, Jess wrapped in Anders‘ arms and Anders and Jess wrapped in Bull‘s arms, and somehow it was perfect. They really were the family that Anders had always wished for.   
Crazy, really, that he would find his family in a freezing castle in the middle of nowhere somewhere between Ferelden and Orlais, with an ex-spy from Seheron who was also a qunari and a little girl that they had found in some abandoned, burned down hut in the middle of nowhere on a mountain. It was strange, and probably weird to some, but it didn‘t matter because it was perfect and they belonged together and Jess was their daughter no matter what everyone else said, and Anders loved Bull and Bull loved him as well. It was complicated, some times, with him still being persecuted because of the Kirkwall Chantry accident and Bull being a qunari and simply having different values in a lot of things, but they made it work, and it worked perfectly.  
He leaned up and placed a lazy kiss on Bull‘s missing eye before slotting his head in under his partner‘s chin. „I love you, you know“ he whispered, like he did every time before he fell asleep. „You and Jess both.“  
And Bull replied just like he always did, with a single word that meant the world to Anders.  
„Kadan.“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> //Aaaaaand we're done! I hope you liked it, and maybe found some of the rarepairs here that everyone loves but no one creates content for. If you feel like it, you'll make my day if you leave me a kudos or a comment. Thank you for reading!


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